Nicol's Savior
by TheGirlWithFarTooManyIdeas
Summary: Nicol gives a suicide run to save Athrun. Seeing the act that he himself would have done in that position; Kira goes into SEED mode, allowing him to save the younger boy's life instead of killing him. Nicol discovers that the Archangel crew are different from the EA and befriends Kira, but the road to Alaska will test everything they both believe in. Heavily AU!
1. Chapter 1

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: (opens a door...and has ten tones of scripts, books and DVDs fall on top of me and bury me up to my neck) ...I wonder if there's a song about Pandora's Box. I should probably sing about closing it, before I loose my mind under the sheer number of all my ideas...Anyway, this is another Nicol Lives fic...and things are going to get INTERESTING because of it.**_

 _ **Nicol: I could compose one for you. ...If I do, do you promise not to have too many terrible things happen to me?**_

 _ **Me: Aww, that's sweet of you. ...Maybe. Unfortunately, love and drama are very intertwined.**_

 _ **Nicol: (gulps nervously)**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED**

 **Chapter 1: Alive**

" _ATHRUN, RUN!"_

" _NICOL!"_

" _NO, WAIT! **DON'T!** "_

 _Kira Yamato saw several things happen behind his minds eye. He saw the shuttle containing the civilians from Heliopolis blowing up, the face of that little girl who had smiled at him staring accusingly and covered in blood. He saw Andrew Waltfeld and his girlfriend, before he destroyed their machine and watched it explode. He saw his best friend; in his minds eye impaled through the chest, staring at him, whispering, 'Why'?_

 _The Blitz was charging towards him. He heard the fear and pleading in the young pilot's voice, telling Athrun to save himself. The core of the machine was overheating – if he didn't succeed in stabbing the Strike, then he would explode and take everything nearby with him. The cockpit was likely in flames from earlier damage. The boy in control was moving through sheer determination and loyalty towards, though he didn't know it -_

 _A mutual beloved friend._

 _The Strike pilot had about five seconds to process all of this...and respond, for better or for worse. A normal soldier, even a Coordinator would have done something then that they would always regret. But Kira was not an ordinary Coordinator...and he was not an Ordinary soldier._

 _The young boy opened his mouth and screamed; a terrible yet enthralling noise that froze the blood of anyone who heard it._

"I DON'T WANT TO WATCH ANYONE ELSE _**DIE**_!"

 _A violet seed exploded behind Kira's eyes._

 _And he decided to take the risk._

 _The Strike flew upwards, dodging the initial strike. The Blitz followed, grabbing onto the enemy suit as its engines overclocked._

" _NICOL!"_

" _KIRA!"_

 _People on both sides were screaming into their communication devices, in horror and panic._

 _The Strike drew the bladed boomerang, activated it, and jammed it into the engine pack, as far as it would go. Then pulled upwards._

 _Fire lit the sky._

 _% &%&%&%&%&%&_

Kira was dazed. His mind was locked into a singular purpose. The world seemed to be full of static, voices that should have been clear were extremely distant. All that was truly in his current awareness was the Gundam in his arms. It was so hot, damaged, he had prevented it from exploding but the cockpit was a sauna as a result, on top of the damage it had received earlier in the battle. Kira gunned the Strike's engines and flew down to the Archangel, flying through bullets and fire.

He landed on the deck with a crash, and placed the Blitz down with quick but frantic care. Then he hit the release hatch and jumped out.

The world seemed to become even quieter, with only the pounding of his heart to guide him. He ran to the Blitz medi pack in hand. The machine was still sparking and glowing red in places; the picture of a fallen knight. Kira scrambled up the broken arm, his hands scraping along the side of the cockpit until he found the emergency release hatch. Hitting it with all his might, he got it open, and scrambled into the entrance even as a wave of heat struck him.

It was a boy in the cockpit. He had to be even younger than Kira himself, though not by much. His uniform was shredded; his leg was broken by an earlier impact from the Strike, there was blood dripping from his helmet which was utterly covered in steam. He also had a gash on his side from broken monitor glass; it was bleeding heavily.

Kira reached in, tearing open the harnesses and lifting the boy from the death room, pulling him away from the Blitz.

He knelt on the deck and carefully put the boy down, to avoid jostling the leg. Then he pulled the helmet off. The Blitz pilot had such a gentle face; his green hair was slicked against his head and blood trickled from his lips. Kira pulled a utility knife from the pack and sliced open the upper part of the kid's ZAFT uniform to let out the heat, before resting his head against the boy's chest.

He couldn't hear a heartbeat.

Kira started CPR, leaning over and breathing air into the boy's lungs. That sort of intimate touch usually would have left him red faced and flustered, but nothing mattered more right now than keeping Athrun's friend breathing. He pounded on the boy's chest, oblivious to both the explosions fading away behind him and further attempts to hail him.

 _% &%&%&%&%&%&%_

 _Mom...my piano..._

 _Pain...so much pain..._

 _...?_

 _A voice...?_

 _voice...calling...to me...?_

 _Athrun...you...? You, Dearka, Yzak...have to go...can't breathe...feeling...my chest...my leg...please, make the pain go away...at least they're safe...I hope...without me...w-without..._

 _Mom...dad..._

 _I... I don't..._

 _...!_

 _The voice...getting louder...saying...something...to me?_

"I won't let you die!"

 _Won't...die...?_

 _Don't want...to die...Athrun...is that you...?_

 _I...I'm listening...I'm trying..._

" **I won't let you die!"**

 _A light..._

 _Air...! Air...I can breathe...what..._

 _I'm trying...reach for me...you..._

 _Nicol's eyes fluttered. He saw a face hovering over him, a bright light shining from behind him. Two beautiful violet orbs, blank with a devastating medley determination, anguish and fear, staring into his soul. A young face, framed with brown hair._

" _ **I won't let you die!"**_

 _Nicol coughed violently, which sent waves of agony through his broken leg. The boy angel cradled his head on his lap, propping him up, tilting him so he could breathe better. "Who..." He choked out. His eyes flittered over...the massive shadow of the Strike was blocking out the sun. Confusion and pain and disbelief._

 _My angel...the Strike...? C-Can't be..._

" _ **Don't talk! Just breathe! Please!"**_

" **Kid, move!"**

" _ **I won't kill him!"** The boy angel shrieked desperately, a deep wound and agony in his voice. Hearing it made Nicol's heart hurt...he wanted to reassure him somehow... **"I won't-I can't-"**_

" **Damn it, kid, move so I can** _ **help**_ **you!"**

 _New voice. Older voice. Nicol painfully tilted his head slightly. Older man, blonde hair, face twisted in horror (-"_ **My god, he's just a kid** _ **-** ) but yet set in stone and strength. He looked like father...father when he was telling bedtime stories, back when Nicol was still small..._

" _Angels...? Here...to t-t-take me...take me t-to heaven...?" He coughed out. It hurt, talking hurt, moving hurt,_ everything hurt.

" _ **NO! You're not going to die!"** The boy angel swore, lifting Nicol's head up. The older man gently swept and set the mask over Nicol's face. **"Look at me, and stay awake for now. You're not going to die, you're going to live!"**_

 _Suddenly, cool, wonderful air was in Nicol's lungs...it pushed itself in, but some of the pain rattling in his skull disappated at that...the boy angel was moving, something rattling next to him, a box? A needle? Nicol saw the point flashing against the sun._

" _ **It's okay,"** The boy angel whispered, tenderly cradling Nicol in his lap. **"It's for the pain. It'll make it go away."**_

 _It was a testament to how awful he felt that Nicol didn't even register the prick as the morphine was injected into his system. Everything that had been so hot was suddenly starting to cool...Nicol was submerged in the quiet, cold feeling, as the pain became numb and muted..._

" _ **We have to move you,"** The boy angel said, fear in those beautiful and distinctive violet eyes. He knew it wasn't over, he was afraid because Nicol's eyes were drooping again...the pianist was trying to keep them open, he really was, but he was so exhausted... **"We're moving you to the hospital. Mu's going to pick you up, it might hurt, but I won't last too long I**_ **promise** ** _."_**

 _You...saving me..._

 _Nicol did let out a wail of pain as the older man swept him up; the movement sent firey agony through his leg. The boy angel let out a noise of distress, jumping to his feet and hurtling towards the Strike._

 _The older man was moving. "_ **It's gonna be okay, kid. It won't last. Don't think about it. Eyes on me. Just listen to me."** _He kept saying quiet, encouraging nonsense, half of which Nicol could barely understand through the pain and the ringing in his skull. They were on the Strike's hands – now they were moving, it caused Nicol's stomach to roil and he nearly passed out again, his eyes rolling up in his head._

 _The sky and the light were replaced by a dark, mechanical ceiling, and lots of people shouting. The older man put him down onto a soft bed, wincing as Nicol sobbed since the wounded leg was jostled again in the movement. Now he was on a bed, people were babbling and talking all around him._

 _Suddenly the boy angel was at his side again. The bed was moving, rushing, the ceiling turning from black to white, searing lights in the hallway hurting Nicol's eyes._

" _ **You're going to be fine. You're going to live."** The boy angel said, promising, pleading. He had such terribly sad eyes. _

_A medical room. People shouting more. The bed ground to a halt. Nicol lost track of time, he heard a machine beeping along with his heart, a scanner going over his body, people talking more quietly, worried, angry, confused._

" _Needs blood..."_

" _...got bags...?"_

" _No...wouldn't just work...Coordinator..."_

" _ **...Take mine!"**_

 _A tube in his arm. Connecting him to the boy angel sitting at his side, looking down on him. More morphine, much more than the first time...he was starting to feel cool...confusion and wonder wracked Nicol...he looked over at his rescuer, tilting his head again...tentatively he reached out with one bloody hand..._

 _Gentle hands grasped his, warm to the touch and slick with sweat. But it gave him comfort...such comfort._

I'm not going to die.

 _The pain...the pain was going away..._

 _Nicol slipped into a calm, cool darkness, the eyes of the boy angel following him as he descended._

 _% &%&%&%&%&%&%&&%_

"...And Ensign Yamato?" Murrue asked slowly, exhaling and shaking her head.

"We had to sedate him to get him to calm down; I moved him back to his dorm; he's dead to the world for now. The kid was working up to a nervous breakdown. He'll probably be out of commission for at least forty eight hours to recover from it." Mu remarked with a sigh, a hint of worry for the young Coordinator in his voice.

"Any idea what caused this...erratic, dangerous decision?" Natarle asked, frowning. She hadn't liked how Yamato had bailed out of the end of the battle in order to save the Blitz and its pilot. She thought it had been an unacceptable risk.

"You call saving a fifteen year old boy erratic and dangerous?" Mu said, sounding displeased at the implication. "That kid was _dying_ , Lieutenant. Isn't giving no quarter against the rules of engagement?"

Natarle grabbed the tip of her cap; she didn't have an answer for that.

"These scenarios we've been in...I've watched hardened soldiers psychologically crack under them with less pressure than what's been put on Kira." Mu continued. "That kid has been singlehandedly keeping us alive, and he's very aware of it. He's sixteen, and he's killed people, Lieutenant, because failure meant the deaths of his friends on this ship. Kira doesn't want to kill people, yet he's had to. I'm amazed he's held it together so well so far."

"And it wasn't just a matter of killing (as if that wasn't enough)... ...something I managed to make out of Kira's panicked rambling before I dosed him was that the Blitz suicide-charged him to protect a downed comrade. Sound familiar?"

Mu smiled faintly as both Natarle and Murrue flinched. "Yeah. Hard to kill someone you feel a sense of kinship towards."

Silence reigned for a moment. "Well, as of now that boy is our prisoner...do we know how and when he'll recover?" Murrue asked.

"Well, he's lucky he's a Coordinator; according to the Doc a Natural would be out for at least a month. He should recover...in shorter order." Mu grimaced. "I wonder if his friends and fellow pilots know we've taken him alive."

Murrue grimaced. "Let's hope so...if they think we've killed him, they'll come guns blazing. And Kira might not be in good enough condition to face them."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **So. Not off to a great start for our boys, BUT it beats being dead. Basically, Kira sees Nicol/The Blitz charging him and realizes he wants to die protecting Athrun...who Kira also cares about very deeply. This causes him to flash back to the various people around him who have died, and sends him into SEED mode. Which allows him to keep the Blitz from blowing up and allows him to save Nicol's life. Unfortunately, the trade off seems to be a mild mental trauma on poor Kira's part, which I think makes sense considering how emotionally stressed out he's been.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: And upward and onward we go. Going to stick a potential Yaoi tag on this story...because I can't help myself. I really can't! I ship Kira/Athrun like nobody will believe. I might just throw Nicol into that ship for this story...the idea is teasing me.**_

 _ **Kira and Nicol: (both flush) WHAT!**_

 _ **Me: And I'll have my favorite supporting pairing in there as well, don't worry.**_

 _ **Dearka: (smiles) Miriallia: (huffs and smiles while looking away)**_

 _ **Me: I have no idea how long this story is going to be, and there's going to be plenty going on aside from the romance...my second favorite game in this series is 'finding more and more creative ways to murder the fuck out of Azreal and Yuna!'**_

 _ **Azreal: (screams like a baby and runs)**_

 _ **Me: Get back here!**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 2: Exhaustion**

Nicol spent short periods of the next eighteen hours partially awake, in the comforting blanket of morphine. He would see a hazy dark blue ceiling, two doctors speaking quietly and moving back and forth as they administered his medicine.

And sometimes the boy angel would be there.

Sometimes Nicol would turn his head to the right, and see the other boy perched on a chair, connected by the blood tube to the younger Coordinator. Giving his blood to the one he had rescued. Usually he was resting his head on his arms, but sometimes he was examining Nicol's face, concern in those brilliant violet eyes. Nicol couldn't help but notice the boy's eyes seemed glassy and dazed, like he too was being put under. It looked wrong; it hurt his heart for reasons he didn't understand.

Those eyes always brightened a little whenever Nicol moved. They were warm with emotion, with concern. ...Concern and...something else.

Admiration? Appreciation? A sense of kinship?

Nicol wasn't entirely sure when he was dreaming and when he was awake thanks to the drugs; the boy angel seemed so fantastical that he _had_ to be an apparition called forth by the young Amalfi's dreams. If he'd survived...if he'd been captured...then there wouldn't be someone sitting next to him all the time. Waiting. Worrying.

That wasn't how the EA treated Coordinators. Then...was he not on one of their warships? But if he was alive...then he must have been captured. Or else Athrun would be at his bedside, maybe Dearka and Yzak too (if only briefly), instead of the mysterious boy.

The seventh time Nicol came awake, he was alone at first, wrapped in the darkness of the infirmary. After a few minutes of silence, the door slid open, spilling low light into the room...and revealing the boy angel again. He looked exhausted and haunted, dark circles under his eyes and a slight gauntness to his otherwise young face. Slowly he walked over to Nicol's bedside and sat down, eyes blinking and unfocused...like he was walking off a sedative.

Nicol took a breath. He was still wearing the breathing mask, mainly as a precaution (so the doctors had said at one point) but he could talk. But formulating his disjointed thoughts might prove to be the toughest part...

He looked at his rescuer...remembering the times when he had seen him...which eventually caused his mind to settle on the memory of the _Strike_ , looming over him, shading him from the blistering sun when he felt like his whole body had been set alight.

The boy...the _Strike..._ it couldn't be...and yet, how else had he been brought here...?

"... _Why_...?" Nicol rasped out softly, half expecting the boy not to hear him. When he started, Nicol almost regretted speaking, half afraid the other would run or vanish like an apparition.

" _You're awake,_ " The boy chanted happily. Impulsively he reached out with one hand and gently squeezed Nicol's hand. _"Thank god..."_ He paused, and flushed lightly when he realized what he had done, and let go.

" _You...you saved me. Why?"_ Nicol tried again. He almost wished the boy hadn't let go – a sense of companionship in this strange place was more than welcome...

The boy blinked twice, like he didn't understand the question. " _What...what do you mean, why?"_ He responded uncertainly. " _I have no reason to kill you...in fact, I'd rather have never fought against you and your friends at all."_

" _Fought against...? Then you really are... the Strike...?"_ Nicol asked. The atmosphere of the room was soft and surreal.

The boy nodded slightly. _"Yeah. I am..."_ He winced. " _I didn't want to be. I kind of...fell into it. At Heliopolis._ "

" _Heliopolis...oh..."_ Nicol's heart twinged. _"I understand...we destroyed your home...like the EA destroyed one of ours..."_

The boy shook his head insistently. " _No, it's not like that. I...I only agreed to pilot the Strike so I could protect friends of mine who came aboard the Archangel. The shelters were full and there was nowhere else to go. They're Naturals, but they're good people, and if I didn't...if I didn't protect them, they'd be killed. I couldn't let that happen...!"_

" _Friends..."_ Nicol closed his eyes for a moment, before something else hit him. " _Y-You mean...you're a Coordinator too?"_

" _Yeah."_ The boy said; his eyes were partially closed. His looked as tired and beaten as Nicol, which worried the younger boy immensely. The Strike had come out of that battle mostly unharmed. Why did its pilot seem so exhausted? Was it because he was all alone, surrounded by a force of people who hated his kind? _"Always was."_

" _W-wow...Yzak's going to burst a blood vessel when he finds out..."_ It was an odd thought to have at the moment, but the mental image of the silver haired boy's reaction to that tidbit of information was bizarrely amusing to Nicol at the moment.

" _Yzak...?"_

" _One of my fellow pilots...he flies in the Duel."_

The boy's eyes seemed to go completely dark at that. " _...I see..."_ He started to get up, and this time it was Nicol who frantically reached out and grabbed his arm. Both boys seemed surprised, and blushed slightly.

" _W-Wait, please. W-what's your name?"_

The boy angel who had rescued him smiled. "... _Kira Yamato."_

" _I'm Nicol...Nicol Amalfi..."_

Kira gently removed Nicol's hand and placed it on the bed. " _I wish we could have all met at the lunar school together,"_ He whispered. " _You, me and Athrun. We could have all been friends...without this war between us."_

" _Ath...run? You know Athrun?!"_ Nicol whispered in shock. Suddenly something that had been confusing him for a long time clicked in his brain – how Athrun had been unwilling to truly fight the _Strike,_ no matter how much it infuriated Yzak, confused Dearka and worried Nicol. He had known the pilot from the start...and possibly cared deeply about him.

Kira nodded. " _You know, when I saw you charging at me...you told Athrun to run...I knew I had to save you..."_ He lightly squeezed Nicol's arm. " _Because if I had been in your shoes...that's exactly what I would have done..._ "

He then turned and started walking out, picking up a sedative syringe from the table on his way out. " _Get some rest...Nicol...you need it..."_

Nicol fell back to sleep with Kira's shadow still in the hallway, his tired mind wrapped in fragments of the conversation.

 _ ****~Time Skip~****_

One day later, Nicol came fully awake for the first time. This time, Kira wasn't present (and neither were the doctors), and the halls were eerily quiet. He felt a lot better, but his leg was still numb and healing so he likely couldn't walk. At some point his uniform shirt had been removed and his lower stomach wrapped in bandages to bind with his side wound. And at some point, his left hand had been handcuffed to the gurney.

Slowly Nicol saw up, wincing at how stiff his muscles were. "Hello?" He called out tentatively. "Is anyone there?"

No answer. Nicol sighed worriedly and looked around the room. There was an intercom button, but he didn't want to press it – it was probably connected to the ranked soldiers or doctors, and he didn't want to rush his interrogation (which was certainly coming at some point; Nicol was surprised he hadn't been woken for it yet). More oddly was how there weren't any guards posted around his sickbed. Didn't they think he'd try to escape?

"Kira?"

No sign of the other boy. And that left Nicol feeling intensely alone. Where was he?

Sitting alone in the silence, Nicol's thoughts turned to his friends. _Athrun, Dearka, Yzak...do you know I'm alive? Do you know I'm okay...at least, as okay as I can?_ He hadn't heard any chatter during a few slightly lucid moments earlier about the 'enemy G-Weapons', at least nothing helpful he could make out. There had been something about a Skygrasper being shot down in the last moments of the battle where Kira had rescued him.

He was pretty sure they were all okay...they _had_ to be, especially Athrun! After what happened...and Kira would have mentioned it if something had happened to him. Unless that's why he needed the sedative. No, that couldn't be. Kira wouldn't have hidden his response to that. He would have been devastated and Nicol would have been able to tell...no one walked off the death of a friend without it showing.

Like Rusty...Nicol sighed heavily. There hadn't been much time to mourn their downed friend in the immediate aftermath of Heliopolis coming apart, but in the following days it had hit them pretty hard. Rusty had been a cheerful and self-effecting guy, not possessing any extreme personality traits like Yzak's short temper. With him gone, it was like the world surrounding them was a bit colder, more cynical. It had fallen on Nicol to be the emotional centre of the team, and sometimes it was hard to get Yzak and Dearka to take him seriously. They didn't think the Mirage Colloid was the weapon of a real warrior and said as much.

Nicol didn't hold it against them. Dearka was a wise cracking jokester with no mind-to-mouth filter, and Yzak was just heavily opinionated and carrying a lot of pained anger thanks to loosing his father and older brother at Bloody Valentine. They were both good people at heart, and Nicol saw their better sides whenever they were on shore leave.

Abruptly, the door slid open. Nicol looked up, hoping it was Kira...only for his nerves to take a nosedive when he saw who was standing there.

She was a red haired girl, two, maybe three inches taller than him. She was wearing a pink Alliance uniform that hugged her slender frame. He might have found her pretty if it weren't for her eyes. Her eyes were black, dead pools of pure loathing as she examined him.

"Coordinator," She spat out, walking in. "How are you still alive?"

Nicol leaned back against the head of his gurney, not trusting himself to speak. Experience taught him that speaking in these situations could be a grave mistake.

The redhaired girl glared at him for a moment, before moving her right hand from behind her back to reveal she was holding an automatic pistol. Nicol froze.

"Kira," The girl muttered, talking more to herself than to Nicol. "How could he do this to me? He was doing so well, and then he came back with _you_." Her eyes flared. "Saying that he couldn't save my father...but he _could_ save one of those murdering Coordinators? HAH! What a _joke_!"

"And now Tolle's gone too..." The redhaired girl walked forwards a few steps, the gun levelled at Nicol's head. "All because he didn't want to kill this Coordinator...he's such an idiot...doesn't he get it?! The only way this is going to end is when he's killed you all...and then himself." Nicol gasped. "That's how this will end! It's the only way it can end! Then daddy, and everyone else they've murdered, can rest in peace."

 _Daddy...we killed her father...?_ Nicol's heart sank. This was _not_ good.

"All you Coordinators...will get what you deserve..." The girl said maliciously, dark eyes alight with madness. She started to pull the trigger...when someone else entered the room.

"FLAY! Are you crazy?! What are you doing?!"

The newcomer was also dressed in a pink uniform, but she looked very different from the redhaired girl Flay. She was roughly the same height as Nicol, with golden brown hair and blue eyes; very sad eyes, she had the look of someone who had spent a lot of time crying. Now she was looking at her companion with horror.

The redhead – Flay – spun around and glared at the newcomer. "Get out of here, Miriallia!" She spat. "I have work to do."

"You're just going to murder him?!" The brunette, Miriallia, demanded. The sadness seeped out of her eyes, replaced with indignation and strength. "A boy, chained to a bed and at our mercy?!"

"He's a Coordinator!" Flay retorted, her hand shaking on the gun which was now pointed at the ground. "He looks like a boy but he's nothing like us! They want us all dead, haven't you noticed?! My daddy, the eighth fleet, and now Tolle!"

Miriallia flinched, tears at the edges of her eyes. "Don't you _hate_ the Coordinators who killed Tolle?!" Flay asked angrily, her mad eyes flashing. "Don't you think we should get revenge?!"

Nicol's brain was whirling, trying to figure out what he should do...while it dawned on him that this conversation was starting to sound veeerrry familiar. He had heard millions of variations of it...just after Bloody Valentine.

Flay snarled, spun and pointed the gun at him...and Miriallia lunged forward, grabbing the barrel with one hand and pulling it away just as the redhead fired. So instead of going through Nicol's skull or heart, the bullet grazed Miriallia's arm and hit the wall. Miriallia cried out in pain, and that's when Nicol reacted. He grabbed one of the medical scalpels off the nearby table and threw it at Flay's hand. The redhead shrieked as the scalpel struck the gun with enough force to knock it free of her grip; enhanced strength had never come in more handy than that moment.

Miriallia dove for the gun and grabbed it, even as her arm bled profusely. She backed up towards Nicol's bed, not pointing the gun at Flay but standing protectively between the other girl and her would be victim.

"What are you _doing_!" Flay shrieked.

"Killing him wouldn't bring Tolle back!" Miriallia responded just as loudly, tears flowing freely. "I won't let you murder a little boy!"

In literally any other situation, Nicol would have objected to being described as 'little'. He wasn't _that_ young, damn it, he was fifteen and old enough to enlist! But instead he found himself looking at Miriallia in awe as three commissioned officers, including an older man who looked vaguely familiar, burst into the room.

"WHAT IS GOING ON IN HERE?!" The blonde man thundered, looking positively enraged, and Nicol recognized his voice – that was the older man who had helped Kira save his life.

"Flay tried to kill Nicol," Miriallia said softly, holding out the gun with her uninjured arm.

"Take her to the brig. Tell Captain Ramius to meet with me later, to discuss charges." The blonde man ordered. The other two soldiers grabbed Flay's arms and lead her away.

"Let me go!" Flay protested.

"NOT A CHANCE!" The blonde shouted back at her, getting up in her face, causing her to quail and stumble against her guard. "YOU ATTEMPTED TO MURDER A PRISONER, AND YOU COULD HAVE KILLED YOUR FRIEND AND FELLOW OFFICER WHEN SHE TRIED TO STOP YOU! BE GRATEFUL I'M NOT HAVING YOU EXECUTED, NOW **GO!** "

The two guards pulled the petrified Flay out of the room, while the blonde turned towards Miriallia and took the gun from her. His face softened almost immediately. "Crewman Haw, how bad is it?"

"I-It just grazed me, Lieutenant La Flaga," Miriallia said softly.

Nicol let out a small noise of surprise. So the Skygrasper (and probably the Mobile Armour) had been piloted by the Hawk of Endymion! That explained so much; no wonder Dearka hadn't been able to destroy that unit.

"And you, kid?" La Flaga asked, turning towards him.

"Just shaken up, sir," Nicol responded, relieved when his voice remained mostly steady. "Um, Miriallia-" He started uncertainly, looking over at his new rescuer. The girl looked away, like she was just processing what she had done.

"It's not serious. I'll get the doctor down for her; that guy's been on lunch break for long enough..." Mu la Flaga then turned on his heel and hurried out of the room. Miriallia let out a shaky breath and sat down on the chair, pressing her free hand against her bloody arm.

"Hey," Nicol asked anxiously after a painfully silent moment, "Are you okay?"

Miriallia looked over at him in surprise; she thought for a moment before nodding. "It-it doesn't hurt that much...I mean..." She glanced at his injured leg. "You went through a lot worse when Kira brought you in..."

"You know Kira?" The obvious hit Nicol a moment later. "You're one of the friends he mentioned."

Miriallia nodded. "Yeah. We were a unit back in Heliopolis, we were pretty close. Me, him, Sai, Kuzzy..." Her voice cracked, "A-and Tolle."

"...Tolle?" Nicol voiced timidly, not sure he wanted to know.

Miriallia looked away. "Nothing. It wasn't your fault. I know that. You were out of the battle, fighting to stay alive, when it happened..."

"Was he...your boyfriend...?" Flay's voice rang through Nicol's ears. _They're going to kill us all! Daddy, the eighth fleet...and now Tolle!_ Is this what he and his friends looked like to these people? Faceless, remorseless monsters who wouldn't be satisfied unless they killed all their targets?

"...Y-Yeah." Miriallia's voice broke again.

Nicol's vision blurred slightly, and he raised his free hand to brush the tears away. This was a bad place to show weakness...but he couldn't help it. "I'm sorry. I'm _sorry_."

Miriallia looked over at him, teary eyes wide. "...Sorry...? Why be sorry...it wasn't your fault...Kira had just saved you...it was the Aegis and the Duel..."

 _Athrun and Yzak...?_

"When Kira was rushing you to the ship...I guess they must have thought he had put a sword through your cockpit and was salvaging the Blitz for parts, because they both went crazy...even the Captain wasn't sure what Kira was up to until he landed on the top of the ship and exited the Strike...well...Tolle was flying the other Skygrasper. They made one last attempt to keep up, and Tolle got between them and the _Strike..._ The Aegis threw its shield and the Duel blasted his right engine. It didn't..."

Miriallia's explanation broke down into sobs, and Nicol's heart broke for her. A whole range of awful feelings rushed up in his chest, and he felt like he was trapped back in the Blitz's melting cockpit.

"This isn't...it wasn't supposed to happen like this..." Nicol shut his eyes. "I joined ZAFT so I could protect the PLANTs from more disasters like Bloody Valentine...but now I've killed people's fathers and friends...I never wanted any of that!"

"Don't say that..." Miriallia said softly. "Your a soldier...lay the blame at the feet of those who orchestrated the war."

Nicol blinked at her. Miriallia blushed slightly before continuing in the same quiet voice, "...Kira didn't want it either...you know...I joined the ship so I could help Kira out...he was protecting us, putting himself on the line, and we were just sitting there uselessly...I put the idea out there that we should help him somehow, and Tolle backed me up..."

Miriallia looked up at Nicol, and he could see an odd compassionate look in her eyes. "I...I saw Bloody Valentine on TV, when all this started...I thought to myself, how could people do anything that savage? Did...did you loose anyone there?"

Nicol shook his head. "I didn't loose anyone I knew...but my friends did. Athrun..." He hesitated, but then plowed on, "Athrun, the pilot of the Aegis...he lost his mother there. And Yzak, the Duel pilot...his brother and father both died trying to shoot down the attackers. Dearka – he flies the Buster – lost his older sister and his grandmother."

Miriallia's eyes shone with tears as she mulled that over. "...I see...they must really hate us..."

"I don't think so, not at all...well, Yzak probably does," Nicol admitted, before quickly going on, "but most of that anger is drawn from his pain...Dearka and Athrun just want to achieve safety and peace so nothing like that will happen again." Nicol looked down at his hands. "I, I know it's not nearly enough, but I don't think Athrun really wanted to kill Tolle...I think he'll feel awful once he's calmed down..."

"It's strange..."

"Huh?"

Miriallia looked intently at Nicol, before saying quietly, "We're on different sides...but we're fighting for the exact same reasons...Yzak and Flay both lost their fathers...and Kira and I lost Tolle, a dear friend. He wasn't technically family but he might as well have been... That, and Kira's been forced to fight his absolute best friend for months now..." she pressed her hand harder against her injury. "He tries to hide it from everyone, but I see it killing him every time."

"...You're right..." Nicol shifted slightly on his bed. The two sat in a quiet but not uncomfortable silence for a moment before an idea occurred to the young boy. "...Hey...I know it's not a lot...but-"

His question broke off when the door opened, revealing a haggard and aghast looking Kira. Nicol's heart jumped at the sight of his saviour; the boy rushed in and looked between the two, distress written all over his face. "I just heard – just saw Flay being moved – Mir, Nicol, are you two okay?" He stammered out. "Mir, you're bleeding!"

"Just a graze, Kira. It's okay, really." Mir said reassuringly; the doctor appeared behind Kira a moment later. Sighing and muttering about 'not healthy for kids to be onboard', he brought Miriallia over to the other bed and started wrapping up her arm. Kira looked between them for a moment before taking up his usual seat next to Nicol.

"I'm sorry," He said unhappily. "I've been under a sedative for so many hours I didn't even think – I should have been here. I'm sorry Nicol. I should have guessed that Flay might try to hurt you." He lowered his head shamefully.

"No, it's okay," Nicol protested. "I mean, I'm still kind of freaked out that she attacked me, but she decided to do that, and you already have enough to worry about..."

"I couldn't forgive myself if something happened to you now...enough people have suffered already...especially you and Mir..." Kira said mournfully.

Miriallia, despite her grief and the fear brought up by being shot, had not lost her spirit. "Kira, I already said I don't blame you for Tolle...keep up this 'I'm Atlas and carry responsibility for all the world's evils' act and I'll drop kick you into the ocean for some 'perspective' swimming!" She threatened.

Both Kira and Nicol stared at her in surprise for a second, before Kira started laughing. Nicol surprised himself by joining in a moment later. "If you insist, Mir." Kira responded once he'd calmed down. A ghost of a smile crossed his face, making him look younger and much healthier.

 **End Chapter**

 **J _ust a quick note, I don't think Flay's necessarily evil...just unbalanced thanks to her father's death and the suspicious lack of an on-board therapist on the Archangel. Maybe being tossed in the brig will help with her character growth; 'sides she did try to shoot Dearka in canon too. I figured the fact that Kira had gone out of his way to rescue Nicol when they had won would have set her off considering the circumstances._**

 ** _Read and Review please!_**


	3. Chapter 3

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: And back...probably should be doing homework right about now, but I've never been good at moderating.**_

 _ **Nicol: Hey, I was wondering...Kira gets the Freedom, Athrun gets the Justice...am I going to get an upgraded suit? Or Dearka, for that matter?**_

 _ **Me: (ponders) You know, I always wondered why the Duel and the Buster weren't upgraded after the Alaska Battle...hm, there might just be some merit there. But it won't be happening until the Battle for ORB arc. (chuckles) Oh, I've got someone stashed away there that I think you'll like to meet, Nicol. Aside from the obvious.**_

 _ **Nicol: Oh...really?**_

 _ **Me: (chuckles mischievously) Well, it's hard to play an orchestra with only a piano, right? You need some other instruments. I might know about some characters in the general Orb area who might be musically inclined.**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 3: Confinement**

Nicol quietly limped down the hall, escorted by two alliance soldiers. They both had a no nonsense look to them, but they weren't pushing him to move faster than possible which was more than could be said for most. He had been dreading being sent to the brig for the last two days – as his condition improved, he knew it was only a matter of time. But all the same, he had hoped to avoid it...if only because of Kira, and now, Miriallia.

 _ **Flashback**_

" _ **There should have been guards posted at the door."**_

" _ **Clearly, Lieutenant. I hadn't thought to spare any since Kira had been with him so frequently."**_

 _ **Nicol sat up straight, straining his ears. There were a pair of older women approaching his hospital room, at the end of the hall. Likely the Captain and her XO, he realized, given that they were talking about the attack.**_

" _ **I don't think that was wise, Captain. Ensign Yamato can't afford to become friendly with the enemy; it will only serve to further cloud his judgment."**_

" _ **Then leave it in your record, Lieutenant," The other woman sounded tired, like this argument had been ongoing for a while. "I had hoped to rise above how ZAFT treats their POWs. Can you understand that?"**_

 _ **The first woman let out a slightly aggravated noise. "I understand the principle, Captain, but if the Strike is unable to properly defend this ship, then we're as good as sunk."**_

 _ **Nicol leaned back against the head of the gurney and closed his eyes, placing his chained hand on his knee and pretending to be dozed off when the door opened. "Are you awake?" The two women entered his room, with Mu la Flaga tagging along a few seconds later. The Captain – he could tell by the rank on her white and red jacket – was a tired, but somewhat kindly looking woman with brown hair and dark eyes. Her Lieutenant was a black haired woman with a stoic, cold face, and she regarded him with no small amount of wariness despite his weak and injured state. Nicol looked over at Mu la Flaga, who actually smiled encouragingly at him for a moment.**_

" _ **Yes." He said quietly, trying to remember what the instructors had coached them for under the chance that they were captured.**_

" _ **I'm Captain Murrue Ramius of the Earth Alliance ship Archangel." The brown haired woman said, and there was real authority in her voice – nothing smug or self involved, just a strong sense of duty to her crew and her leaders. The lieutenant had turned on a recording device. "With me are my Lieutenant, Natarle Badgiruel, and Commander Mu la Flaga."**_

" _ **The Hawk of Endymion."**_ **Simple small talk. Gives the illusion of calm and fearlessness. You are captured, but they have not broken you** ** _. "I know who you are, sir."_**

 _ **The blond man smiled easily, playing along.**_ **Thank goodness.** ** _"And who are you, kid?"_**

 **Name, rank, serial number. _"Lieutenant Nicol Amalfi, redcoat and Mobile Suit pilot of the ZAFT special forces."_**

" _ **Amalfi?" The Lieutenant's brow furrowed in a way that frightened Nicol. "Any relation to Yuri Amalfi, of the ZAFT Supreme Council?"**_

 _ **Nicol set his face and said nothing. However, Captain Ramius examined his face for a long moment and made a good guess. "You're a relative of his, aren't you?" She said. "I haven't met the man in person, but I've seen him on airwaves, and you look a lot like him."**_

" ** _I've seen the files. He has a son; it seems the boy joined ZAFT." The Lieutenant looked pleased._ Not good at all. _"It seems we've gotten lucky for once."_**

" _ **I don't care for what you're implying, Lieutenant," The Captain said firmly, and Nicol visibly wilted with relief. "I don't want a repeat of that ruckus with Miss Clyne. The Earth Alliance has enough bad publicity to work through as it is."**_

" _ **Where are your fellow pilots?" Mu asked, drawing the conversation elsewhere before the Lieutenant could drag the issue out.**_

" _ **Pursuing, I imagine," Nicol responded, averting his eyes. "The Aegis wasn't fully disabled in the last battle, and even without it the Duel and the Buster are still in top shape."**_

" _ **Do they know you're alive and a prisoner?"**_

" _ **I...I couldn't tell you, sir."**_

" _ **Who's your commanding officer?"**_

" _ **..." Nicol shook his head firmly. Ramius looked a little impressed; here was a tired, lonely, injured boy who was nonetheless standing his ground against the enemy.**_

" ** _Don't worry about it, lieutenant. It's nothing that isn't feasible for us to have discovered on our own." Mu's eyes were slightly darkened, though._ Give me something, _he was silently asking,_ so I can keep Badgiruel happy.**

 _ **Nicol hesitated before saying, "Commander Rau le Creuset."**_

 _ **Mu's eyes narrowed, and the friendly blonde man twisted into an angry soldier in a split second. "Of course it was him. That bastard...!"**_

 **So there's some history there... _Nicol silently filed that information away. It might be important._**

 _ **The Captain seemed to think for a moment, before turning to the right. "Doctor, how's the young man's condition..."**_

" _ **Stabilized, though he'd do well to stay off that leg." The doctor, sitting off in the corner, chipped in. "It never ceases to amaze me, how quickly Coordinators recover."**_

 _ **The Captain sighed heavily. "Given the...incident, with Crewman Allster, I think both by regulations and for his own safety, Amalfi should be moved down to the brig."**_

" _ **Good idea." Mu said. "I'll get an escort."**_

 _ **End Flashback**_

Nicol felt desolate as the door to the dark brig opened up. _Will Kira be allowed to see me? Or Miriallia? Or will I be left in there alone?_ Loneliness was the worst sort of experience for him; it was one thing to be trapped on a ship with the enemy, but being separated from the only two people who he was tentatively building bridges with was almost unbearable.

"Come on, kid." One of the soldiers said, giving him a push. Nicol stumbled and flinched as pain shot through his weaker leg; the leader shot his subordinate a disapproving look and stepped over to the green haired boy's side as they entered.

The brig seemed darker than the rest of the ship; the lights were lower giving it the look of a civilian prison. The hall was cold and bare; clinically sterile and utterly remote.

Nicol and the soldier had entered the room and passed the first set of cells when a small feminine voice sounded from one of them. "Hello? Have you brought dinner?"

Nicol's heart skipped, that voice...he turned to his right and saw a familiar redhead inside the first cell. Flay Allster wasn't dressed in Alliance uniform anymore; she was back in the pink ballerina dress that she had been wearing when Kira brought the lifepod in at Heliopolis. She looked haggard, wilted and tired. But when Nicol saw her, and she saw him, her eyes grew dark and she looked away, hands clenching...this was the same girl who had tried to kill him...

"Not yet, Allster...it's not for another hour." The soldier's voice was mainly clipped, but there was unmistakable contempt in his tone. Few of the soldiers on board had much respect for George Allster in the first place – the man was a politician, not a soldier – and his daughter hadn't been terribly helpful, even after enlisting. But attempting to kill a helpless prisoner had officially put her on their shit list. That just wasn't done.

Nicol yipped when the man gave him a smaller but unexpected push, bringing him deeper into the brig and stopping at the third set of cells...probably so Nicol wouldn't constantly be across from his would be murderer. He took out the keys and opened the cell. "You'll be brought food and water at regular intervals. If your leg acts up, tell the person who brings it and they'll send the doctor down."

Nicol nodded, still slightly dazed at this kid gloves treatment of him – ZAFT usually didn't offer consistent medical support to EA prisoners. He stepped in and the guy shut the door behind him. Nicol listened to them leave, before groaning and collapsing on the thin mattress provided, twinges of pain in his bad leg. "Oh guys, come and save me..." He murmured, thinking of his absent friends.

Not too far away, they were thinking of him too.

 _ ****~With ZAFT~****_

"Damn it! Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!"

Yzak Joule whirled and kicked his absent teammate's locker hard enough to leave a dent in it. Dearka Elsman reached out to touch his friend's shoulder, only to think the better of it when he saw the silver haired boy's expression. Yzak looked utterly feral with rage, something accented by the scar that cut across his face. "DAMN IT! What was that idiot _thinking_?!" He raged.

"Don't call him an idiot," Dearka said quietly.

Yzak spun around, eyes blazing. "If he was _smart_ , he'd still BE HERE!" He ranted. "He shouldn't have...shouldn't have..." His voice strangled and trailed off, his emotions mixing as he tried to figure out what the Blitz pilot should have done instead.

"Shouldn't have what? Shouldn't have risked his life to save a fellow pilot? Go above and beyond the call of duty?" The dark skinned blonde countered. "Yeah, real sad teammate we had."

Yzak froze for a second, before letting out an inarticulate scream and punching the locker again, bruising his knuckles. A crushing silence descended over the three boys in the room.

Yzak stilled for a moment, trembling, feeling his eyes growing hot. _I...am I crying? NO! Why am I crying?! That weakling wasn't...I...no, if he was weak, he wouldn't have thrown his life away to save Athrun...I'm NOT CRYING, damn it! I..._

Hot, bitter tears streaked down his cheeks, slicing through his denial. He rested his head against the locker, gritting his teeth and refusing to make a sound. _I...I haven't cried...since Junius..._

 _Nicol...Nicol is dead...I couldn't protect him..._

Something Yzak kept very well hidden (and he preferred it that way), under his layers of abrasiveness, violent temper and coldness...was that he wanted to protect people. It was something he had picked up from his older brother Jacen, and a desire that had been brutally multiplied the day Junius had been blown up, ripping away both him and his father. When he had met Nicol, it was in ZAFT basic training after the attack.

What Yzak would rather die than admit out loud, was that as much as he acted (mostly genuinely) infuriated by Nicol's gentler, innocent nature, constantly called him a coward and running him ragged...some small part of him had appreciated all those softer traits the younger soldier possessed. It made him want to protect the younger boy, like Jacen had done for him before he died. If that meant loudly offering the opinion that Nicol didn't belong in war, because it would destroy the sweet, kindhearted nature that made the younger boy who he was, then so be it.

Secretly Yzak had hoped that if he drove Nicol away, the boy would transfer back to the PLANTs, back where fighting was lighter...but he had stayed. No matter what, he had stayed, fighting for his homeland...fighting for his fellow pilots. For him and Dearka and Athrun.

And now he had died for them. He probably died thinking that Yzak had nothing but contempt for him.

 _He never should have been out here..._ It hurt to cry, now. After spending so much time feeling nothing but anger, Yzak's tears felt like acid. _I failed you, Nicol..._

 _I failed to protect you from **HIM.**_

 _From the **STRIKE.**_

A wave of pure and utter rage and loathing swept through Yzak, snapping him out of his grief. The _Strike,_ his scapegoat, through which he focused all his hatred of the Earth Forces. That machine, the NATURAL piloting it, had caused so much grief, so much struggle. He had shielded that damn ship from every attempt to destroy it. He had scarred Yzak...and now he had _murdered_ Nicol.

"He'll pay for this..." Yzak snarled out, clenching his fists. "Strike...wash your neck and wait! I'm going to kill you and avenge Nicol! Treasure these few day...they're going to be your _LAST!_ "

Dearka glanced at Yzak, hearing his angry vow, and let out a quiet sigh. _Yzak's going to be more volatile than usual without Nicol hear to calm him down..._

For once Dearka was feeling rather introspective. Loosing Rusty had been hard enough, but at least he'd been quickly avenged, and acquiring the Mobile Suits had distracted him somewhat from the weight of it. Dearka was inordinately fond of the Buster at this point; he hoped he'd be able to keep it even after the war was over if only as a tourist attraction.

 _Nicol had really loved the Blitz, too...not as much as his music, but that was just Nicol for you..._

Dearka closed his eyes. As much as he ragged on Nicol for always talking about his music, and how they should get along, he was very aware that the green haired boy had been the heart of the team. Bringing Athrun out of his shell, curbing Yzak's temper...and tricking Dearka himself into being serious. His gentler nature had caused them to discount him, even after his brilliant debut taking down the Artemis light barrier.

Well, there was no getting around it...Dearka had liked the other kid. A lot. To loose him so brutally and suddenly... _Come on,_ the blonde thought sadly, _Out of all of us, Nicol should have been the one to survive all this. He deserved to, with his morals and his kindness._

Dearka turned his head towards their final teammate. Athrun Zala. The blue haired boy had been sitting in silent shock for nearly two days now, going through the motions whenever someone spoke to him. Dearka hadn't seen him crying – soldier facade and all – but he was pretty sure Athrun was inconsolable. He and Nicol had been the closest among the team.

And the _Archangel_...Dearka's mood grew considerably cold at the thought of the ship, and the Mobile Suit protecting it. _They won't get away next time...Nicol, I swear, you'll be avenged..._

Athrun was in shock. He was holding several sheets in his hands...music Nicol had composed while aboard the ship. He still couldn't believe it...

 _Flashback_

" _NICOL!"_

 _Something garbled sounded through the communications system. "N-o, d—nt! -Can't- w—tch –one –ie!" Was it Kira? Or Nicol? He couldn't tell._

 _Athrun stared up at the blazing red light coming from the Strike's sword as the machine suddenly activated its thrusters and flew straight up into the air. The Blitz, damaged and dying, followed it._

 _The Strike ducked under the wild swing, ditched its longer sword and drew a horrible, familiar weapon...the one Kira had used to disable and then kill Miguel, all the way back at Heliopolis. Athrun watched in horror as the Strike grabbed a hold of the Blitz and drove this weapon deep into its back...what Athrun couldn't see thanks to the angle was that it wasn't plunged into the cockpit itself, but just above it where the energy bank was._

 _The Strike then wrenched the blade upwards, tearing straight through the back of the machine. The Blitz went limp, like a human who had been impaled, slumping in the Strike's arms. The phase shift sputtered out, draining away the colour._

" _NICOL!"_

 _Despair. Denial. Horror. It all ran through him as his gentle friend was slain...dead, having sacrificed himself for Athrun's escape._

 _The Strike stowed its weapon, its head tilting slightly, almost like the killer from an ancient horror movie. Then it turned and blasted away towards the_ Archangel _, the gutted Blitz in tow. Athrun watched the monstrous vision leave, and made one last attempt to go after it...but it was too late._

 _Nicol was dead...slain by a monstrous version of Kira._

 _End Flashback_

 _Kira...Kira, how_ could _you?_

Among the grief from his loss, the helplessness he had experienced, all Athrun could think about was a horrific feeling of _betrayal_. It cut him straight to his heart, suffocating him as he sat trapped in his emotions.

He had been unable to defeat Kira. And because of that...Kira had killed Nicol. Driven a sword through his back.

Athrun had never cared about anyone quite like he cared about Kira. Back at school, he'd been the other boy's protector; Kira was fragile and gentle and Athrun had wanted to take care of him, preserve that kindness and innocence from the ire of bullies and the sometimes cruel world they lived in. Kira, in return, had been Athrun's most precious confident. He knew he could tell the other boy absolutely anything, and he would stick by him. The only person who was even remotely as close to Athrun as Kira...

...Had been was Nicol.

 _**~Flashback. Six Months after the Junius Seven Incident~**_

 _Athrun woke in the middle of the night with a cry, the massive blast of white light and his mother's colony falling apart flashing in front of his eyes. He had been having nightmares about the incident on and off ever since then, but today had been different...He'd seen his mother, covered in blood, floating silently in the vast expanse of space. When he went to her and put his hand on hers, she'd suddenly animated and grabbed his neck. Sightless eyes, tears of blood raining down them, stared into his soul._ Oh Athrun...it's too late. _She hissed._

 _"Athrun? Athrun!"_

 _Nicol's worried voice, followed by a hammering on the door to his dorm room, broke through Athrun's panic. Still somewhat dazed, the blue haired boy stood up and stumbled over to the door, unlocking and opening it. "N...Nicol? I thought you were asleep..."_

 _"I was writing up something," Nicol responded by way of explanation, walking inside and closing the door behind him. He put a hand on Athrun's shoulder and said, "I thought I heard someone attacking you."_

 _"N...No. J...Just a bad dream." Athrun said shakily. "Sorry about that."_

 _"Sorry?" Nicol gave him an exasperated look, before pulling the somewhat taller boy into a hug. Athrun flinched at first, before returning the hug fiercely, trembling violently. "You're not a robot, Athrun. There's nothing shameful about being upset..." Those amber eyes stared into his, worry flashing through them. "you were thinking of your mother, weren't you?"_

 _"Yeah..."_

 _Nicol sighed. "Come on." He lead Athrun back over to his bed and gently pushed him down onto it. "You're mourning her...anyone who tells you not to, or scorns you for doing so, is a psychopath, and not worth listening to." He then smiled gently. "How about you tell me something about her? Anything, really. Something you remember fondly."_

 _"W-Well..." Athrun thought for a moment, before slowly starting to talk...memories of birthdays, parties, trips to the beach and the flower shop (Lenore loved gardening more than anything) surrounded the room, slowly replacing the pain and fear of his nightmare with a more passive sadness and longing for what he'd lost. Nicol listened patiently, occasionally asking for more details, but mostly just lending an ear...eventually Athrun let out a shaky sigh and stopped, a hesitant smile crossing his face. "...she always hated it when I'd climb trees. She worried so much."_

 _"She loved you a lot," Nicol said softly. He reached out and gently brushed stray strands of his friend's hair away from his eyes. "She must have been a wonderful person."_

 _"...She was." Athrun felt a few tears escape him. Nicol leaned over him, his eyes full of concern and affection. Athrun felt his heart warm up; he was so grateful that Nicol was here. There had been a spark the moment they met, and they had gotten along well enough that they were immediately put in the same division. Athrun wouldn't want anyone else watching his back...except maybe one person._

 _It was that thought that made him pause, as he reached up and placed his hand on Nicol's shoulder. Kira's face flashed before his eyes. God, he missed the other boy...but, he couldn't deny...with Nicol around, the pain felt less. Athrun's grip tightened, as Nicol murmured his name and looked down at him with half lidded eyes, curious and hopeful. His hand slid around the back of the other boy's neck, pulling him a little closer._

 _"Athrun..." Nicol whispered, his breath hitching._

 _"I'm about to do something extremely discouraged in the military," Athrun whispered. "Hit me, pinch me, tell me to stop right now, and I will. I swear."_

 _Nicol blinked once, twice...and shook his head. "...I don't want you to stop."_

 _His heart soared, and without another word Athrun pulled Nicol down on top of him and caught his lips in his own. The two lay there for a moment before Nicol shifted slightly, so he was completely on the bed, and placed his hands on either side of Athrun's head. The blue haired boy kissed him twice more, before sliding his hands under his lover's shirt. Nicol sighed contently and lowered his head to Athrun's neck, lightly nipping at it and earning soft moans from his boyfriend. Athrun twitched slightly, his whole body warm...Nicol felt it, and the two pulled back for a moment to look into each other's eyes._

 _"...I've never done this before."_

 _"Neither have I."_

 _"This might be a bad idea. If something happens to either of us - and it's war, there's a very real chance..."_

 _"...Then we don't want anything left unsaid, do we?" Nicol smiled. "...I think I love you, Athrun Zala."_

 _"You think?" Athrun smiled weakly in turn...and gasped when Nicol's hands dropped to his waist. "Ah...Yeah. I think...I think I love you too, Nicol Amalfi."_

 _**End Flashback**_

There were hardly words for how horrible it had been for Athrun to see Kira in the _Strike_ that day in Heliopolis. It hadn't really sunk in that Kira was with the enemy – or he had just refused to accept it – until the first space battle.

He kept trying to convince Kira to join him...and every rejection was like a knife in the heart. Kira kept insisting he had people to protect...friends other than Athrun himself. For gods sake, _why_? Maybe there were civilians on board, and that's how the EA manipulated Kira into fighting for them...

Turned him into _their_ soldier. A soldier who would kill Athrun's other dear friend, then drag the suit back to be given to the Atlantic Federation...

Anguish and rage took over in Athrun's heart, a horrible medley that burned his heart, removing all inhibitions in its blazing furnace. He knew. The Kira he knew and l– cared about was dead...and Nicol had died with him...

And if it was the last thing Athrun did...he would put a spike through the heart of the monster who rode the Strike. The monster Kira had become.

"No." Both Yzak and Dearka turned towards him in mingled surprise and confusion; these were his first spoken words since the disastrous end of their last encounter with the _Archangel_. "I'm going to kill the _Strike_ pilot myself."

 _ ****~Back in the Archangel~****_

Nicol was dying.

Not physically, but mentally – the silence of the brig would have been one thing, but considering Flay Allster was here too, that added a horrible level of awkwardness to it that made the hallway nigh unbearable to be in. He thought about talking to her, but he wasn't sure exactly what he'd _say_. Loneliness always drove Nicol crazy.

The door slid open, and someone started walking in. They paused by Flay's cell, before nervously hurrying onward...and coming to a stop in front of Nicol's door.

"Dinner time." Kira Yamato said with a nervous smile. "And...I brought that stuff you wanted."

Nicol's eyes lit up. Kira was holding two trays – one containing blessed food, and the other had a stack of paper and a pen. "You brought it! Oh, thank you!"

Kira smiled more brightly at his enthusiasm, before kneeling and opening the lower door. Nicol jumped off the bed, put the second tray at the foot of it so as to keep it clean, and started eating; he was pretty hungry. He hadn't eaten since before his interrogation. "Yeah, the supervisor took a little convincing," The brown haired boy said, "but I don't think even a Coordinator could break out of a metal cell with a pen."

"That's awesome. I've missed my music a lot." Nicol said between mouthfuls. "I have a piano back at home at the PLANTs; sometimes I play concerts. Hell, there's one time I provided the instrumentals for a Lacus Clyne concert." He smiled at the memory of the cheering crowds. "Yeah, that night was fun..."

"Tell me about it." Nicol blinked; Kira sat down crossed legged in front of his cell. "I'm not really allowed out and about the ship right now, and I'd like to..." he blushed slightly, before continuing, "I'd like to know you better."

"Really?" _No wonder this guy and Athrun were so close. He's so open and forgiving...I've spent the better part of five months trying to kill him, but he saved my life and now he wants to get to know me... oh Kira Yamato, I wish I had met you outside the war too,_ Nicol thought with a smile.

"Well, it was about a year ago now, if my internal calendar isn't off. Miss Lacus was the one who suggested it; she knew about me through Athrun – he's her fiance."

"I remember...Lacus told me about that when she was on board the Archangel." Kira said. "I met her there...She's really nice."

"Yeah, she's amazing. Miss Lacus wanted to throw a concert with an uplifting theme, since everyone was so on edge. She gave me an outline for what she wanted, some of it had already been written in but she wanted my opinion." Nicol smiled proudly. " _Stars Above,_ we called it. Out of everything I've written so far, that ensemble is my favourite."

"I was really nervous on the day. I'd preformed before, but not in front of a crowd that large...it was the biggest theatre in Junius Five. It could seat several thousand people."

"Whoa. I can't imagine being on a stage like that...I'd probably pass out." Kira remarked, looking nervous at the mere thought.

Nicol laughed in response, "I nearly did! It's true. Mom was there before the start, backstage, trying to get me to calm down. Dad, Athrun, and Mr Seigel Clyne were all seated in elevated guest seats; it was all I could do not to stare up at them and silently beg for help..." He chuckled, light self deprecation in his voice. " All I could think was that there were so many people out there and my hands couldn't stop shaking. Miss Lacus noticed and came over. She told me, 'there's nothing to be afraid of. Let them listen to your heart!'"

"Did that help?" Kira looked totally engrossed in what he was hearing.

A little ways away, Flay lay awake though she had pretended to be asleep, drawn to this conversation even as she tried to ignore it.

"Yeah. Mom gave me some cold water, then the curtains went up." Nicol let out a breath. "I started off; then Miss Lacus started singing. Almost right away my hands stopped trembling. I think, even if she wasn't a Coordinator, she'd still have the prettiest voice in the universe. I fell into the music, and we preformed together. I'm telling you, I've never seen a group of people so spellbound. And when it was all over..." He leaned back and smiled at the memory. "They all jumped up and started cheering...some of them were crying, but they all looked happy."

"I wish I could have been there." Kira said sincerely.

"Maybe when the war's over, you can," Nicol offered, then paused when he realized what he had just said. Kira's eyes widened, and Nicol blushed fiercely. "You know...if we both get out of this. It's, um, just a thought. I mean. I-I know you probably-"

"I'd love that," Kira blurted out, interrupting Nicol's abortive apology. "I'd love to go."

The other boy's eyes lit up. "R-really?!"

"Yeah." Kira was smiling again; it suited him way better than the dull, broken exhaustion that had engulfed him since that near-fatal battle. "I've, never really been to an orchestra concert before...it sounds like a nice experience."

"What's this about orchestra?"

Miriallia's voice floated from the end of the hallway. "Nicol writes and preforms for the piano," Kira extolled as the brown haired girl came and sat down next to him. "I was thinking, when this war is over, I'd go see one."

"At that PLANTs?" Miriallia looked contemplative, and smiled. She was holding a small camera in her hands. "That sounds exciting. Would Lacus be there?"

"Maybe. She is their big pop star. The songstress of the PLANTs." Kira recited. He had looked up some of Lacus's music on a whim, while working in Morganrate to distract him from his thoughts. It had been a great success.

"She was nice... Okay boys, I brought the camera. Now smile!"

Nicol grinned genuinely as Miriallia snapped the picture. Kira had told him that he had met the Princess of ORB (you really end up falling face first into important people, don't you? [I...can't deny that.]) so it was possible to pass a package on to the PLANTs through her. (hopefully she won't mind doing me a favour). Nicol had wished, on a whim, not knowing someone was listening, that he could reassure his parents that he was alive, and Kira had immediately offered his assistance. It truly was a sign of what kind of a person Kira, and by extension Miriallia, were...

"How's your leg?" Kira asked, once Miriallia examined the photo and was pleased with it.

Nicol shrugged slightly. "I still feel twinges when I put my weight on it, but I can walk unaided. I think that's a success story."

"How's the work going?" Miriallia asked, tilting her head towards the various sheets sprawled across the mattress.

Nicol chuckled. "I'm just getting started, Miriallia. ...I hope you like it when I'm done."

The girl smiled. "I think I will."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **It's my belief that Yzak has a secret softer side, mostly due to his interactions with Dearka after the latter defects (not to mention saving him and Cagalli in the end)...it's just buried REAL deep. So yeah, the pilots still think Nicol's dead, and that confrontation is not going to end well for anyone...but we're not QUITE there yet. Kira's going to have some interesting realizations first.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: Quick updates because I'm on a roll; I have a few chapters written ahead of time since I wrote a lot in a blaze of passion, which is why the updates have been so close together. Anyway, I get to test out bits of my romantic side this chapter!**_

 _ **Kira: (flushes) I'm afraid to ask!**_

 _ **Me: Don't worry. You'll be a very happy boy in all my stories. (smirks)**_

 _ **Kira: (starts to resemble a tomato) I...!**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 4: Passion Dreams**

" _Hey, kid. I know you're afraid of having another breakdown, but it's not a good idea to keep taking sedatives every time you want to sleep. You wouldn't want that stuff in your system the next time the Creuset team attack."_

Kira lay on his bunk later that evening, looking uneasily at the syringe pack sitting on the desk not too far away. It had been the upshot of a week and a half since that near disastrous battle and Nicol's capture, and he hadn't slept a single night without the drugs...he'd spent the first two days in various states of drug addled consciousness, trying to ward off the mental demons stalking him. The moment where he had broken down in the hallway was mostly blurry, but Mu had given him a pretty clear idea of what had happened and why.

Now he was trying to figure out if sleep was feasible without drugs to make it dreamless.

 _You can't rely on that stuff,_ Kira berated himself silently when the urge to use the drugs to ensure a restful night rose again. _Take too much and it becomes poison..._

The young coordinator rolled over onto his side, placing one hand against the side of his forehead. _At least the headaches had gone away_ , he thought ruefully. _I wonder what kind of music Nicol is working on right now_. _He said Miriallia gave him the idea, but he's been pretty secretive about it since._

 _I wonder how Flay's doing..._

Kira shook his head before his emotions could get away from him. That door was closed, he had shut it at Orb when he finally realized what Flay was doing to his head. He still felt some empathy towards her, but he had realized when reviewing their conversations that she had been pushing him to kill all his enemies. All of them...including Athrun and Nicol.

He couldn't love someone who would turn him against Athrun.

His thoughts turned, once again, to his absent friend...as they often did. The _Aegis_ had never fought to kill so far...it had helped maintain Kira's hope that they could reunite even as the war forged on. However...

 _Athrun? Do...do you know that Nicol is still alive? Or...Or do you think I've killed a good friend of yours in cold blood?_

That ugly realization was almost enough to propel Kira into taking another dosage, strictly for how much it made his chest hurt. He prayed that his rescue of the Blitz hadn't looked like an act of butchery, but he hadn't been that lucky in a long time. _Oh Athrun, don't you know how much it kills me inside to fight you?_ _You know me, right...? I never wanted to hurt you..._

How many battles had he been in since the war started? Kira wasn't sure. He hadn't really been counting...he had gone into every battle hoping it would be his last, even after he enlisted officially. But all that hoping wasn't making the war end any faster...in fact, it seemed determined to continue in spite of the fact that none of them wanted it...

Or did some people _want_ it to go on?

Kira's mind drifted back to his encounter with Blue Cosmos. He had put it out of his mind initially, mostly so he could brood on his encounters with Andrew Waltfeld...and mourn his fallen opponent. However, now he found himself dwelling on the terrorists he had encountered.

 _For the preservation of our blue and pure world!_

Kira shivered and shook his head. Those people...they were so fanatical and full of hatred, it was kind of hard to believe, even though he had seen it with his own eyes. But more than that, he was beginning to draw connections between those people and the soldiers he had met at Artemis. _You're a coordinator who betrayed his people, that makes you very useful to us..._

Useful for what? Fighting ZAFT...or destroying other people like him? Designing war machines meant to obliterate the competition?

Were there more people like _that_ in the Earth Alliance? Is that why Junius Seven was nuked? To kill all Coordinators? Was this...actually a war of extermination? The thought seemed almost plausible, and it scared the _hell_ out of him. No, that couldn't be...The Captain, Commander La Flaga, they wouldn't have joined a force of murderous terrorists. They were far too principled and noble. But...but what if they didn't know? They weren't in the top brass...and the top brass would have been the only people with access to nukes.

The nukes that killed Athrun's mother.

Kira pressed his nails into the palm of his hand. _This is conjecture,_ he told himself, _you don't know anything for certain..._

 _Except for the fact that,_ a little voice at the back of his head hissed, _when they first met you, the moment you said you were a Coordinator, several soldiers immediately pointed guns at you._

 _Stop it. This kind of thinking isn't going to help me sleep..._

 _But if I'm right, then lack of sleep is going to be the least of my problems when we reach Alaska._

Again, Kira's mind went down to Nicol, sleeping in the brig. It was safe to say he had quickly grown very fond of the other Coordinator; his kind and gentle nature shone through even though he was on an enemy ship. He was sympathetic to Miriallia for her loss, even though his 'side' was responsible. Despite the terrible injuries he had received in the last battle, he never once held that pain against Kira, instead being grateful that the other boy had rescued him.

And yet...none of that would matter to Blue Cosmos. They would kill him without a second thought, just because he was a Coordinator.

And there was no way in _hell_ that Kira Yamato was going to let that happen.

With that decision made, Kira was finally able to fall asleep.

 _~Dreamscape~_

 _Kira found himself in Junius Seven, before it had been destroyed. It was a brilliant, glowing, colourful place...but as Kira walked along, he noticed none of the people inhabiting it were moving. Many were lying down, or pointing at the sky, as if witnessing their impending fate approach. The artificial sky was overly bright, pouring white light over everything it covered._

" _Hey! Hey, lazybones!"_

 _Kira blinked as a melodious female voice rang across the silence. He looked up the street to see a large mansion with a red door, and someone standing in front of it. She was a tall young woman with blue hair and a gentle smile, and she was waving in his direction. Kira's deep breath echoed in his ears. The last time he had seen this woman, it had been during a memorial broadcast. Nevertheless, he found himself hurrying towards her._

 _Lenore Zala smiled warmly at him. "You're late," She scolded, reaching out and ruffling his hair. "How am I supposed to throw an engagement party if one of the grooms isn't here?"_

 _One...one of the_ grooms? _"I...I'm sorry." Kira found himself saying. "Traffic was unbelievable."_

 _Lenore laughed, and started walking towards the house. "I warned everyone to leave early! That husband of mine...he should stop fretting over imaginary wars, and start dealing with more pressing matters. Like those_ bloody _malfunctioning traffic lights."_

 _Kira silently walked after her. Lenore opened the door, and immediately the world was awash with beautiful orchestral music. Kira stepped inside the door and took a sharp breath._

 _The mansion like house was decked out to the nines; with ribbons, balloons and the smell of freshly baked cake. There were a gaggle of adults there, but mostly there were people he recognized. And some he didn't, or he knew only through description..._

 _Standing near a window, speaking animatedly, was a silver haired boy with ice blue eyes. Yzak Joule was wearing all black, apparently his preferred dress code when off duty (according to Nicol). He was speaking to a boy with black hair and red eyes in a white jacket, and the pair were passionately debating something. The living room had been converted into a dance hall, and one of the couples dancing were Miriallia and a tall, dark skinned blonde with a lively grin – Dearka Elsman. Mu la Flaga was telling some war related jokes on the far side, causing an couple of older men and women (who resembled Yzak, Dearka and Nicol) to laugh or shake their heads in deadpan amusement._

 _Captain Ramius and Lieutenant Badgiruel were drinking some wine nearby, and Lenore immediately walked over to them like they were old friends. A girl who shared Dearka's appearance was delivering snacks and drinks to various partygoers, tossing off one liners and teasing jokes as she went. A boy with Yzak's silver hair was flirting with Flay, who stood off to the side looking shy but oddly receptive to his advances._

 _Further to the back and centre of the massive living room was the source of the music. A girl with black hair and red eyes was playing the violin, and Lacus Clyne – decked out in a stunning blue dress – was singing. And then there was the grand piano, the heart of the music ensemble being played._

 _Kira's eyes were drawn to the piano, where Nicol was preforming. The young boy was smiling, and the dress outfit he was wearing caused his amber eyes to shine like stars. There was no real word for it – the other boy was_ beautiful _._

" _It really sets the mood..."_

 _Kira let out a gasp and turned around, to face Athrun. The other boy was dressed semi formally and all in white. Kira had never seen Athrun like this, and for some reason it knocked all the air out of his lungs. Athrun smiled, gentle and teasing, before taking Kira by the hand and leading him onto the dance floor._

" _How is this possible?" Kira whispered, taking in his surroundings as Athrun lead him in the dance. "The war..."_

" _If the war had never happened...we would be here," Athrun whispered, pulling Kira a little closer. The brown haired boy tripped over his foot and fell against his chest, causing his friend to laugh. Athrun rarely laughed easily, and the noise sent a lovely shiver down Kira's spine. "This is what you wanted, isn't it? I saw it in your heart."_

" _Then I created it...?" Kira looked all around him. Everyone was so happy, naturals and coordinators alike, enjoying each other's company without any reservations. Abruptly he understood where he was; in this place, Junius had not been destroyed, there had not been a large scale war...and multiple people were still alive._

 _His eyes stung with sudden tears. "I wish this was real..."_

" _So do I," The dream Athrun whispered, leaning in until Kira could feel the soft caress of his breath against his lips. "But I still have you, don't I?"_

" _M...Me...?" Kira whispered._

" _Oh Kira. If the war was over, we could be together." Athrun smiled. "Wouldn't that be wonderful?" He caressed Kira's cheek. "So win it, Kira. Win it, and come back to me. Come back where you belong, by my side. By our side."_

" _Win...and come back..." Kira's heart squeezed. "I want to...I want it so badly...Athrun, I'm afraid..."_

 _Those emerald green eyes bore deeply into his soul. "Afraid of what?"_

" _Blue Cosmos...what if the Earth Alliance..." Kira gulped. "What if they're connected? What if I've been..."_

" _Can't be helped." Suddenly Nicol was standing next to them; the piano seemed to be playing on regardless. Well, it was a dream. "When you fell into the cockpit of the Strike, it belonged to the Earth Forces, but then you made it your own."_

 _Briefly Kira wrenched his gaze away from Athrun's dizzying eyes to look at Nicol. His green haired friend looked curiously at him. "What are you fighting for, Kira?"_

 _Kira looked between the two, his eyes finding everyone he knew in the crowd of guests. "My friends...all of you," He whispered, looking Dream Athrun in the eyes. The other boy looked delighted, and that set a fire in Kira's heart he couldn't explain._

 _Dream Nicol smiled happily at being added to that protected group, before something serious came into his eyes."And what are you fighting against?" He asked._

" _Against...?"_

 _A distant explosion rattled the room; no one reacted to it but Kira, and the mirages of Athrun and Nicol. Athrun's face grew pained, while Nicol shut his eyes._

" _ **For the preservation of our blue and pure world..."** The malicious words echoed across the room._

 _Kira let out a wordless snarl, suddenly angrier than he had ever been in his recent memory, even more than when the Archangel had been in danger or when the Duel had shot that civilian shuttle out of the atmosphere._

" _I'm fighting against anyone who uses this war to hurt people!" He shouted. "I'm fighting against the people who take peace away from all of us. I'm fighting against war itself, so I can end it and bring back the time and place that we're standing in now!"_

 _Nicol smiled softly. Athrun's eyes grew tender. "I'm glad," The blue haired boy said, before he leaned forward and gently kissed Kira on the lips._

"AH!"

Kira rolled over, eyes fluttering half open, pressing one hand against his chest. His heart was pounding wildly and his whole body felt unusually hot. "That was," He whispered; his face had to be as scarlet as the armour of the _Aegis_. "That was...!"

The _Aegis._ Athrun. Kira felt the ghost of that kiss on his lips and shook his head frantically. "What is going on..."

 _You know,_ his tired mind taunted him. _You've always known, you just haven't understood, have you? You're just finally too tired for denials..._

 _Understand what?! I'm so confused!_

 _Oh, but are you?_

"What am I...fighting for...fighting against..." The memory of his words and his promise flittered through his mind. "Of...yes...you're right. That is why I've been fighting...even when I don't want to, I, I must."

 _And now you're deflecting...you finally know the conclusion you should have reached some time ago, yes, but you're trying to ignore_ why _you've come to it. Poor thing. The first sign that your mad or sick is when you're arguing with yourself!_

"Shut up, shut up, shut up," Kira moaned, rolling over. "Emergency stop, there's no way I can feel like that...! I was...I mean, Flay..."

Even to him, that felt hollow. _You_ do _know people can swing both ways, right?_ The treacherous voice asked dryly.

Kira clamped his hand over his ear, as if that was going to help. "We can't," He whispered. "We're on opposite sides of the war...I got to become friends with Nicol because he's prisoner...we can't end up sharing our lives...unless..."

 _Well, then you better end this conflict, shouldn't you?_

"That would take a miracle at this point..."

 _Says the boy who reprogrammed an entire OS system, while being shot at. Says the boy who nearly shot Rau le Creuset out of the sky on his second venture. Says the boy who fought off four different, equally powerful mobile suits simultaneously on several different occasions. Says the boy who, in five seconds, turned a would be fatal strike into a successful rescue of an enemy pilot, on the spot, without any warning. Says the boy who's been fighting impossible odds ever since he stumbled into that cockpit._

 _You were always meant for something spectacular...why don't you make it this? Make it the end of the war?_

Kira pressed his head against the pillow, taking a deep breath.

 _Because...what will happen if you don't?_

That eerie thought echoed through his ears as he fell asleep again...

 _~Dreamscape~_

 _This time, Kira was floating in space...and he gaped in soundless horror. The place where the PLANTs had one hovered were now a smoking debris belt...he heard millions of voices screaming, the crack and explosion of nuclear bombs, and then devastating silence._

 _A flash, and he was on earth...this time in Orb. Mobile suits landed on the shores, shooting at everyone they came across – soldier or civilian. Kira watched as a family was running down a forest pathway, only for the girl to drop something and rush after it. Her brother went to help, only for an explosion to send them both flying. When the dust faded, the gory blood bodies of their parents greeted his sight._

 _Kira saw Orb wreathed in flames, Kaygua exploding, and the blast of a super laser tearing through an entire armada of ships. He saw the Cyclops system at Endymion – Mu had told him a bit about that battle over dinner, once – erupting, killing everyone within a few miles._

 _And then he was on an island. The gutted form of the Blitz lay on the ground in front of him, and lying on top of it, Nicol, with an iron pike going through his chest. And looming in the firey background...was the shadow of the Strike._

" _...Nicol...?" Kira whimpered. Had he..._

" _ **WHY**?!"_

 _Athrun's tortured scream caused Kira to spin around. His best friend was standing behind him, seething and in tears, blood soaking his ZAFT uniform. He was holding a sword that looked suspiciously like a human-sized version of the Strike's Aile blade. Kira had never seen Athrun look so broken...so enraged._

" _A...Athrun..."_

" _ **How...how could you?!"**_

" _I..." Kira took a step backwards, trembling, unable to forge any sort of defence for himself. After all...what good was it to feel empathy for enemy soldiers, if you didn't follow through on it and remained a dog of war?_

 _Athrun's expression contorted, and Kira felt like he was staring into the face of a bleeding angel of death. **"YOU...!"** He darted forward and rammed the Aile sword through Kira's chest. The horrible pain split through Kira; not just the pain of being stabbed...but emotional anguish. A broken heart. Athrun had killed him. _

_Kira collapsed to the ground. Athrun stared down at him, that maniac rage remaining for a few seconds before slowly bleeding away...replacing itself with horror and grief. " **K...Kira..."**_

Why...? _Kira tried to echo back, but he couldn't speak._

 _Athrun dropped to his knees next to him, lifting him up in his arms not unlike when Kira had rescued Nicol at the end of the battle. The sword was still buried in Kira's chest. Athrun closed his eyes for a moment, tears dripping down his cheeks. "_ _ **Kira...why didn't you come back with me..."**_ _He stayed there, cradling Kira as the younger coordinator died._

Kira sat bolt upright, his hand going straight to his chest. It took him a second to remember that he was in his room on board the _Archangel,_ and that he was _not_ dying with a knife through his heart. Though the pain he was feeling from the emotions and images he had just been exposed to still felt extremely real...

 _Killing alone won't end the war,_ he thought to himself, seeing Athrun's stricken face in his memory. _There's too much suffering there. People on both sides would have to come together._

 _...I wonder what Lacus is up to right now..._

Kira glanced at the clock, sighed and got to his feet. There was no way he'd be able to sleep again, not after those dreams. He left his quarters and started wandering the halls; he started off heading for the brig before reminding himself that both Nicol and Flay were probably asleep. It was nearly four in the morning, after all.

There wasn't much of a night shift on the _Archangel;_ despite being resupplied and landing in Orb there had never been a full staff thanks to the events at Heliopolis. That felt like a lifetime ago. So that left Kira alone with his thoughts and the soft echo of his footsteps on the floor. Trying to sort out your emotions was difficult at the best of times...twice as much so when you were in the middle of a war, trying to figure out what the best course of action was.

 _I don't have anything but a hunch regarding Blue Cosmos, and I'd still rather believe that's all in my head, so I won't tell Mu or the Captain yet. But if it's true...then I have no choice but to desert. I'll die before I serve those murderers in any real capacity._

Kira closed his eyes and reimagined the room in the mansion from his first dream. _Jacen and Mikhail Joule, Laura Elsman, Lenore Zala... I wonder if their bodies are still in the Debris Belt...someone should go to that place sometime and give them a proper burial, them and everyone else trapped there._

Kira paused his walking at an intersection, leaned against the wall and sighed heavily. Tentatively, he raised his hand and let his fingers brush against his lips.

 _This feeling I have..._ Kira felt his cheeks flush slightly. _I...I'm still not sure what to clarify it as...but I feel like my brain has been screaming at me for some time...t-those dreams...I know exactly what I associate that hot, burning feeling with. It was when Flay first...when we...ah..._

And now, because of those dreams, Kira didn't just associate those feelings with Flay...but with two other people as well.

Both of whom were with ZAFT. Because _clearly_ his life wasn't hard enough as it was.

 _Getting a little ahead of yourself there, Yamato?! There's a bit of space between acknowledging that Nicol is beautiful and kind, and having feelings for him! Cagalli is very pretty, but I don't have significant feelings for her other than brotherly affection._

 _And Athrun – well – he was – he's always been – ah...!_

Kira buried his face in his hands and slowly slid to the floor. Nope, nope, he needed to close that door before it could open, or else he'd never be able to raise a hand against that blue haired boy again. And he'd _need_ to, if only one more time, so the _Archangel_ could reach Alaska.

"You look like you're about to melt down again, Kira. Want to talk about it?"

Kira's head snapped up. Mu la Flaga had managed to sneak up on him somehow, he was leaning against the opposite wall with his usual relaxing smile, though his eyes were somewhat concerned. "C-Commander la Flaga? You're awake?"

"Every soldier has their sleepless nights," Mu responded amicably, walking over and sitting down next to the younger Ensign. "This is hardly my first."

"R-Really?" Kira looked at the older man with a little surprise. "It's just, you always seem so cool, so in control..."

Mu's expression grew a little shadowed. "Yeah, well, got to project some confidence and reassurance for the kids on board, don't I? When you're out in situations like this, fellow soldiers rely on each other's strength to keep it together." His eyes grew distant. "You didn't see me after Endymion, kid."

"Oh..." Kira whispered, understanding. "Yeah...I guess I was caught up in my thoughts..."

"Is it about the kid we've picked up?"

Kira didn't bother to ask how Mu had guessed. He had come to see the older man as something of a mentor to him, and just a short while ago had confined about his friendship with Athrun in him. Mu hadn't told the Captain or the Lieutenant, which Kira was grateful for. Somehow he doubted the Lieutenant in particular would appreciate such a revelation. "Um, yes and no. Nicol's really nice...it's just...he's also a good friend of Athrun's."

Mu's expression softened. "I get it. This whole situation's really getting to you, huh?"

"I had some dreams..." Kira flushed slightly, before quickly adding, "Well, more like a dream and a nightmare...I guess...I guess, I really miss him...and I'm afraid one of us is going to get killed."

Mu mulled that over for a second, before putting a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "We've been asking a lot of you, to keep fighting him. I want you to know I'm grateful, and always have been."

"...Thanks, Commander."

"You still look pensive, Kira. Something else on your mind?"

"W-Well, it's kind of personal..." Kira said, struggling not to blush. He knew that Mu would never let him hear the end of the teasing if he told the man. So instead he reached out for the other thing that had been bothering him. "A-Actually, there is something else, not related to that...I'd forgotten about it for a while, but now it's bugging me again..."

"What's that?"

"Blue Cosmos." Kira saw Mu's features tighten at the mention of the group, which gave him relief and a little hope. "I...I told you I ended up saving Mr Waltfeld from one back in the desert, right?"

"Yeah. You're not worried about those nutjobs still, are you?"

"I am. I...they reminded me of the people in Artemis." Kira said. "I think...well, maybe it's stupid. But I was wondering if there might be Blue Cosmos inside the Atlantic Federation."

Mu gave him a sharp look. "That, is a very disturbing thought. What made you think of it?"

"I..I'm not sure. Something about Artemis, and those guys in the desert, they sounded so similar when talking about Coordinators. I could just be imagining things."

Mu's expression was serious. "Kid, I really hope you are." When Kira shot him a concerned look, he grimly added, "Because the alternative does _not_ bear thinking about."

 _ ****~In the brig~****_

As a matter of fact, Nicol was awake – nightmares surrounding his near death experience had woken him nearly an hour ago. With faint twinges in his leg and no real desire to return to sleep, Nicol brought the pages he had been working on to the very edge of the cell, where the low light in the hallway was brightest.

The piece he was working on was easily his biggest, and most ambitious, involving a full orchestra and a singer. The title he had given it? "War's Requiem."

 _Hmmm, maybe I'll go with a trill for the violins there after all. It adds an extra flourish to the end of the first part,_ Nicol thought, his pen scraping against the page. _The bass can hold that last note, and the piano will bring it all together. I'll be able to make further revisions the next time I have access to instruments...whenever that is._

Nicol carefully stacked the sheets tentatively listed 'opening overture' before taking another blank sheet and staring at it. _War starts with grief, then goes into vengeance, then violence, then grief, then violence, then silence, then peace,_ he ruminated. _What sort of music would be originally associated with Junius Seven, right before the destruction? For the destruction itself, drums and bass are the obvious way to go...I think I'll lead off with the piano. Not to be egocentric, but a quiet, gentle pace to start off with would make the 'attack' part itself more jarring._

He labelled the first page 'piano' and started drawing out the lines. _Lenore Zala always liked classical music,_ he thought with a sad smile. _I wonder if she'll be listening to this, someday, when I get the chance to play it in full. I hope so._

Nicol had been working for about twenty minutes when a soft female voice whispered, "Are you awake too?"

Nicol was so surprised he nearly dropped his pen. The voice was unmistakably Flay Allster's; it was coming from her cell. He looked up from his work and strained his eyes to see the redhead pressed against the bars, looking at him.

"...Yes," Nicol said calmly. Once he'd gotten over the shock, and then the confusion and sorrow brought on by her attack (and her reasons for it) he had gained a sort of neutral sensibility towards the girl. It wasn't easy, getting over being shot at...but he was working on it. If only because, if _his_ father had been killed, he wouldn't put it past himself to react in a similar way...

"...I can't sleep. It's so dark in here." Flay whispered. "I feel like the darkness will swallow me up and I'll never be found again."

"...it won't last forever," Nicol said, unsure whether to try and comfort her or not. He wasn't sure why she was speaking to him; she hadn't said anything for several days, except to the people who brought the food. "They'll turn the lights on once the first shift starts."

"Do you think death is dark like this?" Flay asked; her voice was weak, like she had been crying for a while. Nicol wondered why he hadn't heard her; she must have been crying in her sleep. "Is daddy in a dark place forever now?"

"I..." Nicol swallowed slightly. "I don't really know...but I don't think so. I think everyone is reunited in death, in a warm place where no evil remains."

There was silence between them for a few moments. Then Flay spoke again, her voice definitely showing her grief.

"...Is daddy going to hell for hating Coordinators?"

Now _that_ question threw Nicol for a loop. It sounded dangerously like a trick, especially coming from someone who'd tried to kill him. _(All you Coordinators will get what you deserve!),_ her voice echoed in his memory. But now, Flay's voice was so weak and shaking he felt compelled to say _something_. "...Hating people isn't against the law," he noted, somewhat ruefully.

"No, you don't...you don't understand." Flay hiccuped. "Daddy...daddy once said he gave people the authority to chase down Coordinators. He said it when I was little, but I think...I think..." She let out a small sob. "Daddy authorized the Nuke, didn't he?"

"I..." That revelation hit Nicol like a smack between the eyes. He sat up straight and stared at her, trying to process this new shock. "We never knew who provided the bomb itself. All we knew was that the Earth Alliance had used it to destroy a colony and kill thousands of people. So no, I don't know if he did."

"...We were there. On the way to Earth." Flay said this very softly, so softly Nicol had to strain his advanced hearing to catch it. "We found Junius in the Debris Belt."

"You _what_?!"

Flay shrank away from the cell door as if Nicol's words had physically struck her, whimpering fearfully. Nicol's hands trembled on the bars. The remains of that colony had been found!? "Where?! When?!"

"On...O-o-on..." Flay's voice was shaking so badly her words became incomprehensible, and Nicol forced himself to lower his voice.

"In the Debris Belt...of all places. I can't believe we never thought to look there..." He murmured, mostly to himself. He wondered why Kira hadn't brought it up; then the obvious hit him. _They must have gone into the belt looking for supplies after Artemis was destroyed. if...if they took things from the ruins, Kira must have been too ashamed to mention it..._

Then he looked across the room to Flay's cell. "Why are you telling me this?" Nicol asked after another moment of silence. "Don't you want to kill me?"

"I..." Flay curled up into a ball. "I...I've been listening...listening while you, and Kira, and Miriallia have been talking. I never did...I keep listening, and you never...you don't sound l-like a monster."

"You sound like a boy."

Nicol sat back slightly, pondering that. _If her father was involved with the attack, and Blue Cosmos...then she was probably born listening to him rant about how evil Coordinators are._ He thought. _And we probably vindicated a lot of it when we killed him; she would have seen it happen from the Archangel._

"I...I'm sorry I tried to hurt you." Flay whispered. "You...you're just like Kira. I should...should have known better."

Seven little words, plain English, but they had the impact of an out-of-control freighter train. _I'm sorry I tried to hurt you_. Nicol would never, ever have dreamed someone who came from Flay's background would _ever_ say something like that to someone like him.

And his response was a blow against the war separating them.

"It's okay. I forgive you."

"..." While it was hard to tell in the dark, Nicol thought he saw happy tears streaking down Flay's face. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

The two sat in that quiet camaraderie for a few moments, while Nicol mentally inserted another act into the Requiem, in between _Silence_ and _Peace._

 _Compassion._

But this moment was broken by red light and an ear piercing siren. "We're under attack! All hands, Level One Battle Stations! I repeat, All hands, Level One Battle Stations!"

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Well. That can't be good. And just when everyone was starting to get along! (sigh) Well, it's kind of necessary or else everyone will be blown up by the cyclops system. Hey Athrun, I got good news and I got bad news...**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: I felt a little mean writing this chapter...if only because it forced me to rewatch the death match episode so I could remember the specifics of how it went down...uuugh it still hurts my heart so much, even after a third viewing of the series...**_

 _ **Athrun: (pissed, glaring at me) If you think it sucked for**_ **you, _how do you think_ I _feel!_**

 ** _Me: (nervous laugh) Athrun, it's the stations of canon...Kira's gotta get the Freedom Gundam, or everyone's screwed._**

 ** _Athrun: Oh yeah? How about the twisting of the knife that you're planning for when I run into Cagalli again?_**

 ** _Me: (pales) You know about - crap! (bolts) I_ really _need to lock up my scripts better!_**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED**

 **Chapter 5: Mistakes**

Kira ran for the _Strike_ , his heart pounding from fear, panic and lack of sleep. An attack on the Archangel, this close to Alaska, could only mean one thing. Athrun and his friends had caught up. They had never attacked in the night or early morning before...which, Kira figured, was probably an indication of what kind of mood they were in. _So, they do think I killed Nicol. This battle is going to be rough..._

Mu clapped him on the shoulder before running off to the remaining Skygrasper. Kira took a shaky breath, before grabbing the _Strike_ 's ascending cable. Climbing into the cockpit, he activated the machine and started towards the launch point.

Flashes of his nightmares – of him dying with a sword run through his chest, courtesy of his best friend – blinked before his eyes. Kira shivered and shook his head. _Thank god I didn't take that sedative. Or there'd be a pretty good chance of that becoming reality...!_

His hands trembled on the control mods as Miriallia disengaged the last few defences, her breath hitching – she had done this for Tolle in the last battle, and now Tolle was no longer with them... Kira closed his eyes; he knew it had been the _Aegis_ and the _Duel..._ but after the decision he had come to, he couldn't let himself black out in hatred. He just had...to complete this mission.

 _Just one more time...we're so close to Alaska...forgive me, Athrun...I pray you believe me!_

"It'll be okay, Mir." Kira promised her. He might have thought the better of it, considering what had happened the last time he promised someone something like that, it had been a disaster...but he wanted to give her hope.

"K-Kira..." Mir sniffled, then forced a brave smile. "You're clear for launch."

"Here goes...!" Kira hurtled out of the launch deck and into the early morning sky.

The sky was full of storm clouds; everyone could see lightning and rain on the horizon. Wasn't that just perfect, given the circumstances.

Kira hadn't had to look for trouble. All three enemy Gundams had virtually swarmed him once they got him in their sights; he had to drop to the lake surface to get out of the back pocket they first tried to push him into. _Maybe I should have mixed weapons packs, should have taken the chance...blast it, I wish I wasn't so tired!_

Dearka – the Buster pilot, he reminded himself with a wince, this was not the time or place to be thinking of Nicol's friends in familiar terms – then turned his attention fully to the Archangel, while Yzak – the Duel – alternated between attacking the ship and attacking the _Strike._ It was like the silver haired pilot couldn't decide which he hated more.

The _Aegis,_ meanwhile, was giving Kira his full attention. Which was why, about ten minutes into the fight, Kira had jetted off the top of _Archangel_ in hopes of drawing the Duel and the Aegis further away from the machine containing his friends.

 _I can't let you do that...If you sink that ship, you don't just damn my friends...if it sinks, Nicol would never make it out of the brig._

Kira's hand hovered over the comm-link for a moment, but in the end he shook his head. It was unlikely they'd believe him if he told them the truth...

He saw the _Aegis_ switching to mobile armour form above his head...and had just enough time to bank out of the way of the would be fatal blast, as a consequence it hit one of the _Archangel's_ canons instead. The explosion wracked the ship.

Kira let out a panicked curse and banked heavily to the east. The _Aegis_ gave chase. The _Duel_ got up in front of him, but Kira managed to blast the other machine's rifle and knocked him off the Guul. Yzak's furious swearing burst over the common channel, followed by a shriek aimed at Kira that left the young coordinator shivering.

" _YOU WON'T SURVIVE TODAY, STRIKE!_ "

 _ ****~In the Brig~****_

Nicol gasped as the deck pitched violently beneath them; throwing him against the floor. His leg ached in protest; distantly the young pianist heard people shouting and running. Flay's reaction had been a frightened shriek; she'd hit her head against the cell door and was bleeding.

"What was that!" She asked fearfully.

"It sounds like the _Archangel's_ been hit," Nicol said – he felt stupid and it was massively obvious, but the fear seeping into him wouldn't be denied. "That doesn't sound good..."

"What are they doing," Flay said frantically, "Don't they know that if they sink us now, they're going to kill you too?!"

"...I don't think they know I'm here. That I'm alive." Nicol realized with mounting dread. "They're not here for a rescue, they're here for revenge..."

Flay gasped and put both her hands over her mouth. She off all people knew now how destructive that motivation was... "Kira..." She gulped, "he can stop them, right? He...he's our only hope..."

"I don't know..." Nicol swallowed; he realized he was very afraid for the friendly brown haired coordinator, who had saved him, who had become his friend. "He's managed so far...but this time is different from the others..."

He leaned against the door. The young boy would do anything to be back in the Blitz in that moment; so he could talk to the others, keep them from their intended goal somehow...anything had to be better then the fear and helplessness engulfing him now.

 _Athrun...Kira...Yzak and Dearka..._

 _Please, don't do this!_

 _ ****~Back with Kira~****_

They were on an island now. Kira, in his peripheral vision, had seen Mu manage to score a lucky hit on the Buster, knocking it down onto the island. Hopefully it was out of combat... _and hopefully the pilot will surrender. I don't think Mu hit the cockpit; Dearka's too good with that machine to die because of a skygrasper even with the Hawk behind the wheel._

Another violet hit from the _Aegis_ reminded him what his priorities should be. Kira groaned and pulled back, assessing his situation grimly. He couldn't take much more of this; Strike was running low on power, and his exhausted emotionally confused state was causing him to make rookie mistakes. He was stumbling along, mostly on the defensive.

There was nothing for it...he had to try...

Kira opened his comm channel. "Athrun." He whispered.

He had thought his friend might not hear him at all, but he didn't need to worry. The response he got was immediate, anguished and furious. " **YOU...Kira,** _ **WHY?!**_ " Kira rocked back in his seat, hearing reality echo his nightmares.

"Athrun-"

" _ **Why'd you do it, Kira? YOU MURDERED NICOL!"**_

"He's not dead!" Kira pleaded, dodging out of the way of another would be fatal blow.

" _ **LIAR!"**_ Kira had never, ever heard Athrun speak like this. Not even when mentioning his mother's death in the bloody valentine. And to have that grief and hatred directed at _him..._ _**"I SAW HIM DIE...I SAW YOU KILL HIM!"**_

"It was the energy pack," Kira kept trying to explain, even though part of him knew it was useless. Athrun was barely listening to him; the battle adrenaline, his own emotions, and the fact that Kira had been fighting him for some time kept him blind to his friend's sincerity. "I had it gut it to keep the Blitz from exploding, and it's _above_ the cockpit! He's alive, Athrun, he _is!_ "

Athrun's only response was a wordless scream of rage. Kira flinched as the _Aegis_ gouged a wound in the Strike's leg near the cockpit. _This is going to end soon..._ Shaking his head, Kira instead keyed the _Archangel's_ radiowaves.

"Archangel, this is Kira!"

"Kira! What's going on over there?!"

"Listen, you have to start heading for Alaska!"

"But...without you?!" He could hear the shock and horror in Murrue's voice at the mere idea, and it both heartened him and broke his heart at the same time. "But Kira-"

"No, no buts! The _Aegis –_ these people are on a warpath, I can't stop them the way I used to, I can only keep them busy! You have to go, now!"

" _Are you crazy, kid?!"_ Mu's voice broke in. " _Not without you!"_

"Don't worry! I'll catch up with you!" Kira had no idea how he'd be able to keep that promise, but he meant it. "I'll find you again! BUT PLEASE – LET ME PROTECT YOU NOW! **_GO!_** "

Maybe Lieutenant Badgiruel helped convince them, maybe it was just the passion in his voice. But Kira was relieved when, seconds later, the _Archangel_ was floating up in the sky and heading in the direction of Alaska. _That mission is complete._ He turned his full attention back to the _Aegis._

Unbidden, Kira remembered his dream. _"End this war, and come back to me."_ The _Aegis_ took on its Mobile Armour form and grabbed hold of the Strike. Realizing what was coming, and that this moment might very well be his last, Kira engaged the eject system...but not before saying one last thing.

"Athrun...believe me..." He smiled softly, even as the cockpit went dangerously white and he knew he was risking his life. "I didn't kill Nicol...I didn't want to. I can tell why he's so important to you, now that I know him. ...I could never kill you...I'll say what I said to Nicol about why I saved him...I knew I had to because if I was him in that moment when you're life was seemingly in danger, I would have done the same thing."

Over in the _Aegis,_ Athrun's SEED-dilated eyes grew very wide...truly hearing Kira's voice and words for the first time since the battle started...it was something about the tone the words had taken on...something tender and sincere and utterly without fear. He could hear Kira even over the screech of the self destruct sequence.

"In his place, I would have died for you..." The other boy said, seemingly heedless to his approaching doom. "I've been dying every time I've had to fight you...oh, Athrun. _You mean more to me than my own life._ "

Athrun could almost see Kira's smile in his minds eye...and, all at once, he realized the other boy was telling the truth. Except the _Aegis_ was seconds from exploding, and there was no taking that back.

He screamed out, "KIRA! _EJECT!_ "

A frozen moment in time. One massive explosion. And two people seeing nothing but white.

 _ ****~Later. On the Archangel~****_

Miriallia stumbled down the hallway, unsure of where she was. It had been several hours since the battle at the island and everyone was still reeling. Kira's last transmission was ringing in her ears. _Let me protect you! GO!_

She sobbed slightly, her mind somewhat at war with itself. Kira was listed as MIA. There was no body to prove he was dead...he said that he'd come back...he...he could still be around...that explosion might have been of the _Aegis..._

But...but Tolle had been listed as MIA as well...and he was gone...she knew it.

 _What am I going to tell Nicol?_ Her heart ached. _How much more do I have to loose out here? Tolle, my friend Kira..._

Miriallia turned the corner...and completely froze, like a deer in headlights, when she noticed she had almost walked into someone. Specifically, a pair of someones...one of them she recognized, one was Commander la Flaga...but the other one...

He was about Kira's height, tall and well muscled – he was dressed in civilian clothes as opposed to his ZAFT uniform, but she didn't need that to realize who he was. He was a handsome, dark skinned blonde with dark eyes...he was Dearka Elsman, Nicol's fellow Gundam pilot...one of the ones who had been out there when Tolle...and now Kira...

"Why are you staring?" Dearka wondered aloud, a slight twist to his lip.

Nicol had remarked at one point about Dearka's lack of a good mind-to-mouth filter; the blonde wasn't heartless, just often tactless – and given that he was aboard an enemy ship, he was bound to throw out a few ill advised barbs.

"Are you afraid? Relax, will you? Your boss has got me tied up." Dearka raised his handcuffed hands for emphasis.

"Crewman Haw," Mu tried uneasily, silently hoping they weren't about to have a repeat of Flay's episode in the infirmary. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for someone?" Dearka quipped. "Maybe...looking for your boyfriend, after he went missing in action on you?"

Miriallia gasped like she had been punched in the gut. Her eyes welled up with tears...and for the first time in a while, she got angry.

 **~Line Break~**

Dearka realized he had made a mistake when the brown haired girl in front of him choked, her expression twisting with terrible pain. But perhaps the better indication was the punch to the face that he received a few seconds afterwards, which threw him into the wall and bruised his jaw. Miriallia stared at him wide eyed, then at her hand, before turning and fleeing down the hall as the worried commander called after her.

"Agh..." The blonde groaned, shakily standing up.

"You were asking for that," The commander said, his voice flat and unsympathetic. "You know, we _did_ loose her boyfriend two weeks ago."

That revelation struck Dearka almost as hard as the punch itself, and it must have shown on his face because the Commander sighed slightly, as if his anger was suddenly draining away. "I'm guessing they don't teach tact at the ZAFT academies. Come on soldier; let's get to the Brig before another incident crops up."

Wordlessly Dearka walked after him as the older man picked up the pace...dazedly he wondered how this day could possibly get any worse...he thought about calling after the girl and trying to apologize, but she was probably well out of earshot.

They reached the brig in little time, though the commander paused at the door and gave Dearka a strange smile. "Well, at least you won't be alone."

"What the hell-?" Dearka started, but the Commander opened the door and gestured for him to go in. As they stepped into the darkness, the older man loudly called out, "Hey kid! I've got someone with me you might like to see!"

A voice drifted from the third cell down...one that froze Dearka in his tracks."Commander la Flaga? What do you mean?"

"W-What..." The blonde stammered. "Impossible...!"

"T-That voice...Dearka? Dearka Elsman, is that you?" Nicol Amalfi ran to the door of his cell, eyes alight with happiness and relief at the sight of one of his friends.

Still stunned, Dearka found himself running into the prison complex on his own free will, skidding to a halt in front of the offending cell. "N-Nicol!" He stared at the green haired boy, who was grinning happily at him. The other boy wasn't in his ZAFT uniform anymore; he was wearing black pants and a silver sleeveless t shirt which exposed multiple burn scars on both his arms, and he was leaning more on his right leg than his left, but he looked _incredible_ for someone who was supposed to be _dead_! "How?! We...we saw you die! The Strikegutted the Blitz's cockpit! How...how did you..."

Nicol shook his head. "No, the Strikedidn't hit the cockpit – Kira had to neutralize the energy system because it was seconds from exploding in my face and turning me, not to mention him, Athrun and everything for a couple dozen meters, into pixy dust." The other boy's amber eyes gleamed. "I got badly hurt thanks to the cockpit overheating...but nothing lethal!"

"B-but..." Dearka was slacked jawed, trying to figure out what had happened. "Then why-"

"-did he take the Blitz?" Nicol actually laughed, and goddamn it but hearing his voice like that caused a stupid smile to cross over Dearka's face as well. If it weren't for the cell door, he would have hugged the younger pilot. "I was in trouble, and Kira knew it...so he _saved my life!_ That's why he brought me to the _Archangel_ , so I could get treatment... I would have died without him..."

"I can't...I don't even..." Dearka stammered, wrestling with the weight of this story as it turned his worldview upside down.

Nicol giggled. "I can't believe it either...Dearka Elsman, at loss for words? There's something you don't see every day!"

That snapped Dearka out of his stupor; he scowled and said, "Oh go take a dive, Nicol!" The other boy responded by laughing harder, which in turn got the blonde chuckling as well. Suddenly being stuck on board this ship had a silver lining.

"Kira..." The girl in the other cell – Dearka had ignored her as he ran towards his not-actually-dead friend – repeated the name nervously. "Where is Kira, Commander? Wouldn't...wouldn't he come down here too?"

Nicol blinked, and looked over at la Flaga. When the man's jaw tightened, the happiness drained out of the pianist's face so quickly Dearka could have blinked and missed it. "C-Commander...?" Nicol asked timidly. "Where's Kira?"

"...As of right now...? ...Missing in action."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **(winces) I'm so sorry...I hope Dearka and Nicol reuniting at least made everyone feel a bit better...**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: Oh Thanksgiving weekend, four days free! This is awesome. Perhaps I can even get started on my big project, The Dark Future or Galactic Gundam tomorrow!**_

 _ **Nicol: I thought you said you have enough ideas going around at the moment...**_

 _ **Me: Hey, the muse goes where the muse goes. This chapter was a bit of a bitch to write, not sure why, but the conclusion is making things flow easier. Don't worry, our lovely three forlorn pilots won't be separated for TOO much longer.**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 6: Recovery**

"...fell a long way..."

"...lucky...tell you what..."

"...to me, please..."

Kira's fragmented consciousness, listening and seeing shattered images, wondered somewhat bleakly if this was what Nicol had experienced that day in the Blitz. He had a sense that he was alive; if he was dead then he wouldn't be in so much pain. He saw bright lights and went in and out of shallow consciousness several times, distantly hearing people speaking. He heard a car rushing, jet engines, and eventually he was lying on something soft.

 _...Did the Archangel come back...?_

A blue sky. A soft breeze.

 _No, I don't think so. They couldn't afford to._

Something making noise. It sounded distantly like 'Haro, Haro'.

 _So where am I?_

Kira's eyes slowly came open. He saw bushes heavy with roses, a gated garden, and dozens of familiar multi coloured ball robots bouncing up and down around him. 'Haro Haro!' He was in the back yard of some mansion...that was weird...there couldn't have been a place this big near the island where he – a thought struck him, all the memories of that battle coming back in a rush. He tried to sit up only for a sharp pain in his chest forced him to stop. A slender hand gently pushed him back onto the pillow. "Oh, you're awake! That's wonderful."

Dazed Kira turned his head to the left, to see Lacus Clyne sitting on a chair next to his bed. She was smiling warmly at him. "Good morning, Mr Yamato."

"...Miss Lacus?" Kira said blankly, sitting up more carefully this time. His chest, arms and forehead were heavily bandaged. "How in the world...?"

"Ah. I knew it wasn't his time yet."

Kira saw an older man with dark hair walking over towards him. Lacus smiled, "This is Reverend Malchio. He found you injured on the island after Athrun self-destructed the _Aegis,_ and he brought you here to me so you could recover."

Kira gasped, a horrifying possibility striking him with the force of a physical blow. "Athrun!" He made to get up, causing Lacus to scold him and push him down again with some help from the Reverend. _He can't be dead...! He can't!_ "What happened – the other pilot - was there anyone else? Did you see anyone else-?!"

"No," Malchio said calmly. "The clearing where I found you was empty. If Athrun Zala was dead, his body would have been there, and nowhere else. I believe he was picked up by a scavenge ship from Orb, shortly after I found you."

Kira crumbled against his pillow, the sudden surge of energy melting away. "Thank god...thank god." He blinked at the pair. "What happened? Can you tell me?"

"The _Archangel_ has reached Alaska." Lacus told him with a reassuring smile. "It suffered some damage, but it reached its destination. You know, there are some rumours in the PLANTs that the _Archangel_ is made of some indestructible alloy – or blessed by God."

"I don't know about that," Kira said, though he chuckled a bit at the idea. "We've just been talented, skilled, and lucky."

"I believe that," Lacus said with a small smile. "I remember meeting the Captain, Miss Ramius. She seemed to have a very strong character."

"She's the wall and the will of the ship," Kira agreed. He didn't say it aloud, but he'd come to view Murrue Ramius as a sort of mother figure – since he saw his own mother so little, and Ramius had been strong and encouraging towards him throughout this nightmare. "Commander La Flaga probably brings the miracles."

"I thought _you_ were the one doing most of that." Lacus commented with a small smile. "I've heard all the reports of your battles. It's hard to believe you were just a college student who'd never been within shouting distance of the war until you fell into it."

"Yeah," Kira nodded, sighing as memories of various battles flashed before his eyes. "Half the time, _I_ can't believe what I've managed to do. It's a...terrible privilege."

Lacus smiled kindly at him. "I understand. Rest here for as long as you need to, Kira."

"Isn't this dangerous for you, Lacus?" Kira asked in concern. "I mean, you are technically harbouring an Earth Alliance officer."

"Hm, don't worry about me, Kira. My father and I have always been careful." Lacus responded. "Besides, the Supreme Council is distracted at the moment."

"Distracted? With what?"

Lacus's expression became pensive and slightly worried. "A new operation..."

 _ ****~Elsewhere; with Athrun~****_

Athrun woke up slowly. There was a dull pain in his arm, which was now wrapped in a sling. He wasn't in the cockpit anymore, it seemed like he was aboard some sort of aircraft carrier. Dazed, he raised his head...and everything hit him with the force of a train.

 _Oh Athrun...you mean more to me than my own life._

"Kira!"

Pure anguish, just as strong as when he saw Nicol's 'death' if not even more so, crashed over Athrun like a suffocating wall of smoke. His vision blurred over and a choked noise escaped his dry lips. He lowered his head and pulled his legs closer to his chest, trembling and shivering as the totality of what had happened sank in...he had _killed_ Kira. He had killed _KIRA._

 _I knew I had to because if I was him in that moment when you're life was seemingly in danger, I would have done the same thing..._

His soldier facade thoroughly shattered, Athrun began to weep. Kira hadn't killed Nicol. Kira had never betrayed him. Whatever had compelled him to fight for the legged ship, it had not replaced the affection and devotion he had for his best friend...

The affection and devotion and love... _love_...

"What...what have I d-done..."

 _I could never kill you..._

"K...Kira..."

Athrun wondered if this was what dying felt like. It would be appropriate, at this point. He had killed Kira...he deserved nothing better...

 _How can you kill someone you love?_ A voice in his mind wondered. _Is this the sort of soldier father wanted me to be? Someone who would commit such a horrible crime 'for the PLANTs?' Am I going to get a medal for murdering Kira...?_

When Cagalli came in to yell at Athrun, demand to know what had happened, she found it was more difficult, yet very different, from what she had expected...the young man they had found seemed virtually catatonic with grief.

"Where's Kira?!" She yelled, frustrated that she wasn't getting an answer out of him.

Athrun raised his head, and saw the gun she was holding...

"Shoot me."

"What?" Cagalli sputtered, cut off and staring at him.

Athrun looked up at her face, and Cagalli couldn't resist a shiver when she saw him more plainly... his normally brilliant emerald green eyes were dull, lifeless and heavily stained with tears.

"I killed Kira." He said, his voice broken and toneless. "He saved my friend and I stabbed him in the back. So, take that gun and shoot me."

Cagalli's hand started shaking, as she spent a moment considering that...in the end, however, she didn't bite. Instead she slammed the gun on the table and snapped out, "What good would that do?! Will that bring Kira back?"

Athrun didn't respond, again. He just rested his forehead against his knees, his body occasionally wracked with violent sobs. Inside, however, he was somewhat calm.

This was a war. There would be plenty of other opportunities for him to die. They would likely reassign him once he returned to the PLANTs; if they 'rewarded' him for his sickening act, he may be able to choose where he was transferred. He'd pick the place where the fighting was at its absolute worst...and he'd fight until he had no strength left. Then he'd be overwhelmed...and maybe, just maybe, he'd be worthy of joining Kira in death.

 _Then...then I'll be with you again...Kira..._

Athrun's sobs relaxed a bit as he came to that decision. He even smiled a bit, though a small voice in his mind commented that Nicol definitely wouldn't approve of his plan. Nicol, at least, was alive...

 _ ****~On the Archangel~****_

"I'm surprised you can focus on that, Nicol. You know...considering the mess that we're in."

"It means a lot to me, Dearka." His friend responded, eyes fixed on the paper as the pen scratched across its surface. From the adjacent cell, Dearka could see several stacks neatly lining the far wall of Nicol's living space. "Besides, anything's better than being stuck inside my own head..."

Dearka nodded slightly in understanding, though he couldn't help but be a bit baffled. Common sense and military training told him that Nicol hadn't been stuck on the Legged Ship – the _Archangel_ – long enough for Stolkhome Syndrome to kick in, but the younger boy seemed almost comfortable. Well, maybe not comfortable – there was a definite tenseness to Nicol's shoulders, something Dearka recognized from before they had launched into battle against the Eighth Fleet – but he didn't seem to be at all concerned with what the Archangel's commanding officers might have in store for them.

He wondered if that had something to do with Kira Yamato – the Strike pilot. Nicol's visible anguish when being told that the other boy was MIA had startled Dearka; he continued to insist that Yamato was still alive, and spoke of him rather fondly. It almost reminded the blonde of his interactions with Athrun back on the _Vesalius._

" _Kira is NOT dead. I...I have to believe that."_

Dearka wisely decided not to push the subject, even though the whole scenario confused the hell out of him. His occasional social ineptitude had already gotten him punched once, and given how Nicol had reacted to the _possibility_ of loosing someone he cared about, Dearka would rather not find out how he'd react to _actually_ loosing an important someone. At least, not on the receiving end of it.

Either way, Nicol insisted that it was thanks to Kira that he had been treated so well. He even spoke highly of the Hawk of Endymion and the Captain. He didn't care much for the Lieutenant who had come to interrogate Dearka a few hours after he was interned, though. On that much, the two Gundam pilots were in complete agreement – what Dearka could gather from one conversation with the woman was that Lieutenant Badgiruel was someone who prioritized rules and duty over making ethical judgments.

The fact that, during said conversation, Badgiruel had thinly implied she believed Kira saving Nicol's life was a mistake – since it had (apparently, given what little she knew) angered Athrun and resulted in the loss of the Strike – had also coloured Dearka's opinion of her. _Considerably._

If the several choice obscenities he'd thrown at her, which had resulted in her calling for a guard to stand nearby and silently menace him, were anything to go by. The quick, surprised-but-appreciative look Nicol had shot him was easily worth it.

"It reminds me of when I was stuck in the hospital, whenever Kira wasn't around." Nicol said, shivering slightly. "I'd rather not think about that."

"You got pretty banged up, even if you didn't die, huh?" Dearka said quietly, without his usual bluster. Maybe it was a weakness, but their cellmate wasn't bound to rat him out and who cared when they were already in such deep trouble?

Nicol introducing him to Flay Allster had probably been the most awkward it had gotten so far. Neither had explained exactly _why_ the redhead was down there with them, though since Flay was unable to look at the green haired coordinator when it was mentioned Dearka suspected he wouldn't like it.

"Left leg broken in two places, cracked ribs, heat exhaustion, concussion, and heavy blood loss from scar on my right side. Which required fifty stitches to fix." Nicol reeled off, his voice surprisingly deadpan. Flay visibly flinched in sympathy and Dearka sucked in a sharp breath. Nicol's lip twitched, "It _sucked_."

"And I thought Yzak getting his face slashed open was rough..."

"What's keeping dinner?" Flay wondered. "Mir usually doesn't make us wait. Is something going on? Have we already reached Alaska?"

"No way. I haven't been stuck in here nearly long enough for that..."

"Well we were at the Marshal Islands when you were captured," Nicol reasoned, having overheard as much. "Likely the Captain's ordered maximum speed since, s-since Kira's m-missing." He stumbled over the sentence before quickly going on, "Speed over caution is probably for the best to avoid any further surprises."

"But then we're Mir?" Flay wondered. "She's usually on time..."

Dearka blinked. "Mir?"

"Miriallia Haw." Nicol supplied. "She's a friend of Kira's, and mine."

"Haw?" Dearka's stomach sank. La Flaga had addressed that girl he'd hurt as 'Crewman Haw'. Somehow he doubted there was more than one person with that name on board. He was _never_ that lucky.

"You've already run into her?" Nicol turned his head towards his friend...and his brow furrowed. "...What did you say?"

"...Something stupid." Dearka admitted sourly.

His younger friend sighed, not sounding very surprised. "Oh dear."

"Hey, don't go 'oh dear!'" the blonde protested, face flushing. "I don't do it that often!"

"Yes, you do." Nicol said dryly.

"...Maybe," Dearka acquiesced, averting his eyes. "I'm just...usually smarter than _that_."

"...Do I want to know?"

"I...might have asked if her boyfriend was missing in action." Dearka admitted.

Flay let out an appalled squeak. Nicol turned and stared at him in disbelief. "...Putting aside the fact that you were a prisoner on an enemy ship, so angering the soldiers around you is probably a _stupid_ idea, why would you _say_ something like that?" The green haired boy shook his head. "The thing is, Dearka...her boyfriend was actually _killed_ in action. In the _same battle_ Kira took me to this ship."

If it was possible, Dearka's heart sank even further. So not only was the guy he had joked about dead, there was a good chance he himself was responsible for it "Oh _no_...Nick, you gotta believe me, I _never_ would have said that if I'd known-"

"I believe you." Nicol interrupted, his surprisingly stern expression softening at that. "You aren't intentionally cruel often."

"...Thanks."

Speak of the devil, and he (or she, in this case) shall appear...A minute later, the door to the brig opened with a metallic _rasp_ , and in walked Miriallia, carefully balancing three trays.

"Mir!" Flay said in relief. She might have been humbled by her revelation in the brig, but she still wasn't used to going without food. "Have we reached Alaska?"

"We're close." Nicol blinked. Miriallia sounded distracted, though she was projecting her normal calm cheery aura. Calmly she slid Flay her food. "We're in the airspace; in about six hours we'll reach the mainland and dock at the port."

"We'll have finally made it..." Flay glanced over at Nicol and Dearka for a moment, before uncertainly asking, "What do you think will happen then?"

Miriallia grimaced, before taking a visible deep breath. "I don't know for sure, Flay. Just sit tight; okay? The Captain's talking about releasing you for good behaviour."

Nicol put his work aside and walked up to the door. "We're almost there, huh..." Miriallia nodded; she avoided looking at Dearka's cell, and the usually talkative blonde was quite silent.

"Yeah." She opened the lower door and slid the food in.

Nicol frowned, "Mir, is something wrong? Your hands are shaking."

Miriallia looked up at him, her blue eyes dark and serious. Nicol straightened; he knew immediately that something was wrong and he couldn't afford to draw attention to it. "It's nothing Nicol. It's just...been a long trip." She shook her head. "I guess I'm wondering what will happen to you..."

"I'll be a coup, won't I?" Nicol suggested rhetorically; he had a sneaking suspicion that might not be the case. "I imagine the Lieutenant has noted in the record that two children of the Supreme Council are on board. The Earth Alliance wouldn't miss out on bargaining chips like that."

"Oh, goodie," Dearka complained, throwing himself back on his bed. "You mean we'll have to be bailed out like a pair of damsels? Yzak's never going to let me forget this."

Miriallia snorted. "Well, you _did_ get shot down by a Mobile Armour." Nicol looked at her in surprise; his friend usually reserved sass for people she was comfortable around.

"Ugh, don't remind me. I probably should have fixed the Buster's camera glitches after the first fight, but after we lost the Blitz it slipped my mind." Dearka said, with more than a hint of defensiveness. Nicol looked between the pair, eyes slightly wide. "I would have gotten him, if my forward cameras hadn't shorted out."

"If Endymion couldn't kill the Commander, I seriously doubt you could," Miriallia responded matter of factly. Dearka looked indigent; he started to respond but got interrupted...by Nicol, who had burst into snickers.

Almost simultaneously the pair demanded, "What's so funny?!"

"I...I'm not sure," Nicol lied, eyes flickering between them. "Just thought of something..."

Again, both eyed him suspiciously for a moment before letting the question lie. Miriallia paused for a moment before stopping in front of Dearka's cell, staring at the floor while she passed the tray through the smaller door.

Dearka seemed to sober at that; and Nicol was ready to give him credit for his courage – Miriallia was starting to head away when his friend blurted, "Wait-!" The brunette froze like a frightened rabbit, before slowly turning back towards him. Dearka cringed slightly, before quietly saying, "Hey...I'm sorry, about before. That was...callous of me."

"...Oh..." Miriallia echoed softly, utter surprise written across her features. After a second she muttered rapidly, "I'm sorry I hit you," before hurrying down the hallway and disappearing.

Nicol blinked, "So _that's_ what that bruise was from?"

Dearka rubbed his jaw slightly and grumbled, "Yeah, yeah...I deserved it. Just don't tell Yzak."

"Wouldn't dream of it..."

Nicol picked up his sandwich...and choked in surprise, staring down at the tray. With a heavy _clunk_ , a familiar looking key had fallen onto the plastic tray.

"What is it, Nicol?" Flay asked in surprise, leaning froward. "What fell?"

"It's...it's the cell door key," Nicol said, stunned.

"What?!" Dearka sputtered, hurrying over to join his friend.

"It was...in my food." Heart pounding, Nicol picked up the key and turned it over. Yes, it was the very same one he remembered from the first night he had been lead into this place. "What's going on? Why would..." He nearly said her name before breaking off; there were probably cameras here and he couldn't give her up.

Dearka looked uncertainly at his tray before noticing something, "wait a minute..." he unravelled the paper his fork had been wrapped in...before swearing and jumping to his feet. "Shit. SHIT!"

Nicol stood up to. "What's going on, Dearka?" He asked nervously.

"Those Feds," Dearka said through gritted teeth, "they're gonna kill us both. To send a message to the Supreme Council...and our parents!"

"WHAT?" Flay sputtered. "But...but they can't! That's...that's a war crime!"

"Since when has the Earth Alliance shied away from War Crimes?!" Dearka retorted hotly.

"C-Captain Ramius would never agree to that!" Flay protested, standing up herself.

"I know," Nicol interrupted, "but she's only a Captain. She can't overrule the high brass." He stared down at the key in his hand. "Then they..." Terrible images of firing squads flashed in front of his closed eyes. Dearka seemed to have made the same connection, because his eyes had widened to near comical dimensions, and he turned to stare at the entrance.

Kicked into action for the first time in weeks, Nicol reached through the bars and, with some force, unlocked his cell door. "Sorry Flay, but I think I've overstayed my welcome here."

"Forget about that," Flay responded anxiously as Nicol freed Dearka in turn, "Just get out of here safely, okay?!" Her voice sank a bit. "We've lost too many friends already."

Nicol nodded and smiled slightly, before he bolted towards the door. "How are we supposed to get off this thing?" Dearka hissed. "Our Gundams will be locked down!"

"Maybe." Nicol responded quietly. "I think we have some friends here."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **...So yeah...Kira's hurt, Athrun's grief stricken and suicidal, and Nicol &Dearka have to run for their lives to escape being executed by crazy space racists. (beat) Please don't hurt me.**_

 _ **Cagalli: GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON!**_

 ** _Me: (plaintively) It's always the tusudere's who find out. Damn it! (gets shot at) Crap! It gets better Cagalli, I swear! (runs)_**

 ** _Cagalli: You barely gave me anything to do!_**

 ** _Me: (in the distance) And here I was planning to import your personal Gundam from Destiny! Some gratitude!_**

 ** _Cagalli: You were going to-?! Hey! Get back here! (drops gun and runs after me)_**

 ** _Read and Review please!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: Movin right along, movin right along... (adjusts Dark Future script) Man, the second half of Destiny is so frustrating...make one of my favorite Gundam pilots super, insanely insufferable, recycle the second's character development from the first series, and totally short change your interesting new protagonist in favor of the mockery of the first, why don't you?!**_

 _ **Nicol: (baffled) Then why are you watching it...?**_

 _ **Me: Because I loved the first half! Everything goes to hell after Stella dies. If only YOU were there, to remind Athrun that this whole scenario has already happened once.**_

 _ **Nicol: Um...Thank you?**_

 _ **Me: (contemplating) Maybe I'll age up Shinn a bit, so he can join the SEED party...This story will ignore Destiny for the most part, but other stories could be possible...**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 7: Revelations**

"... _ **So let me get this straight. Two unarmed Coordinators managed to break out of the brig and STEAL BACK A G-WEAPON, even though you SWEAR that they were carefully secure?"**_

The radio chatter from the Alaska Federation base was usually contained to the building itself, but a talented Coordinator could have broken in without much trouble...as long as they were still nearby. And while it didn't look like it, X207 Blitz _was_ still perilously close to the base that wanted its pilot and passenger dead – it was crouching in a rock formation a couple of miles away, hiding under Mirage Colloid as it eavesdropped for pertinent information.

" _ **They weren't unarmed when they reached the hanger, sir."**_

Nicol sat at the controls, while Dearka crouched behind the seat, cursing about how small the cockpits in the Gundams were. The pair of Coordinators had 'escaped' from the _Archangel_ a total of six hours ago. The word 'escaped' was used loosely; when they reached the Hanger it was apparent that the engineers had made no real attempt to lock it down, and Kuzzy Buzzkirk had dropped his gun (out of fear, obviously) when ambushed in the hallway.

So Nicol and Dearka had climbed into the beautifully rebuilt Blitz, carved their way out of the launch deck, and blasted out to freedom while Commander La Flaga threw up his hands in surrender and the Alaska generals fumed impotently.

Of course, they weren't entirely out of the woods yet. The Blitz didn't have enough battery life to safely travel to the nearest ZAFT controlled base (near Hawaii). That, and Nicol was torn between exactly what he wanted to do next; returning home...or continuing to worry over the _Archangel_ and those on board _._ Surprisingly, Dearka seemed to share his sentiments.

" _ **And you have no idea who slipped them the key."**_ The Admiral's voice was heavy and disdainful.

" _ **None yet, sir."**_ Murrue responded, polite and deferential. **_"The investigation is ongoing."_**

Dearka let out a breath. "You think they'll catch her?" He asked quietly.

There was no question who 'she' was. "I don't know," Nicol admitted grimly. "The commander will try to protect her, but who knows what'll show up on the cameras..."

"Can't we hack in from here?" Dearka suggested. "The ship should be just inside the main gate."

"Maybe." Nicol pulled down the Blitz's keypad and searched the area. He picked up a couple dozen systems within the building, but only one was big enough to belong to the _Archangel_. "Signal's faint...it'll have to do." Technically this could drain the Blitz's energy stores; (not drastically, but every bit counted when there was no ship to return to) but they both owed it to Mir, since without her they'd probably be facing a firing squad.

"Three firewalls...I wish Athrun or Yzak were here," Nicol muttered as he examined the data. Since it had been a while since the last search party, he deactivated both Mirage and Phase Shift, in order to focus on the task ahead.

"What are the chances they think we're dead?" Dearka asked, in reference to their absent friends.

"Pretty good," Nicol said with a sigh. "If you thought I was dead, and you joined me, I think it's safe to assume."

Dearka leaned against the seat and shook his head. "I wonder if they've contacted mom already..."

Nicol flinched. He had tried not to think of either of his parents; falling into a depression wouldn't have helped his situation. But now, Dearka's comment made him realize how desperately he missed them. _I hope Miss Athha sent that package like Kira said she would._ "I don't know. Sorry, Dearka."

"What are _you_ apologizing for...blame the Earth Federation." Dearka paused for a moment. "You know, the _Archangel_ would make a great ZAFT ship. Yamato and La Flaga would have fit in just fine at the academy, if what I've seen is anything to go by."

"I agree," Nicol said. The thought had crossed his mind frequently. "They choose their loyalty a long time ago. Like us."

The blonde shook his head. "Damn it..." Nicol glanced over at him, concerned. "This is her fault." Dearka muttered.

"What is?" Nicol said, baffled and a little indigent on Miriallia's behalf.

"I _should_ be trying to find a way to go straight back to ZAFT. Instead, I'm hovering around here like a nervous owl, neck deep in enemy territory, because I'm worried about a Natural girl." Dearka sighed heavily. "Wonder what dad would say about _that_."

"..." Nicol didn't have a response for that. Tad Elsman's opinion of Naturals was pretty damn low; thanks to loosing his older daughter (Dearka's sister) Laura in Bloody Valentine. He wasn't quite as cold about it as Ezalia Joule or as hateful as Patrick Zala, but he wasn't likely to welcome one home for dinner. No matter who they were.

A beeping noise put that conversation on hold. Nicol smiled, he had gotten through the firewalls and moved to access the camera records. "Just delete everything up until your capture," Dearka suggested. "It'll completely cover for her – and Yamato, if he really is still around somewhere – and it'll obviously be our fault."

"Right." Nicol hit the delete key repeatedly, cleaning out the log entries and camera footage. "So now the question is, what are we going to do?"

The two boys sat and thought about that. "...Let's go back to listening in on the command centre," Dearka suggested after a moment. "If we're stuck out here, we might as well gather intelligence."

"Right." Nicol carefully moved the Blitz deeper into the rock formation near the Pacific Ocean; the white stone made the mobile suit stick out like a beacon. Once parked under an alcove, Nicol reopened the channel he'd been using earlier and the pair listened in on the _Archangel_ 's chilly welcome to their 'allies' headquarters.

 _ ****~On the PLANTs; Clyne Estate~****_

"Yuri?" Siegel Clyne said in surprise. He was standing in the doorway of his house, facing a fellow member of the Supreme Council. Yuri Amalfi looked like he had hardly slept for days; Siegel had been given the tough job of giving them the news of his son's apparent death on the field. Listening to Yuri's wife Estelle sob hysterically next to the boy's well loved piano was something that had haunted the former Chairman's dreams for a while afterwards. "This is a surprise. What do I owe the pleasure?"

Yuri glanced over his shoulder at the driveway. Estelle had just emerged from the car, and she looked equally nervous as she hurried towards them. "There's something I need to ask you...it's important." The man was holding a brown envelope in one hand...labelled by Orb? "May we come in?"

Siegel's eyes narrowed, understanding immediately. "Of course. You're always welcome here."

Once the pair were inside the living room, Siegel shut the door and gestured for them to sit down. "Something tells me this isn't a social call, Yuri. What's troubling you?"

Yuri didn't respond verbally; instead he removed a photo from the envelope, his hands shaking slightly, before passing it to Siegel.

The older man's eyebrows shot up; it was an image of young Nicol, safe and sound inside a brig cell. He looked tired, and his left leg was clearly heavily bandaged, but he was smiling and in good health for someone who had been declared dead. The time stamp indicated the photo had been taken three days after the KIA report had been filed.

"This was sent to us from Orb," Yuri explained, his voice unsteady. "Turn it over."

Siegel did so, and his eyebrows raised further. _Your son is safe. He's on board the warship_ Archangel, _after I captured him in battle. The crew aren't like other members of the Earth Forces; he won't be hurt or used as a hostage. I'm sorry I can't return him to you directly, but I want you to know he's alive._

 _Ensign Kira Yamato, pilot of X105 Strike Gundam_

"...Have you shown Patrick?" Siegel asked warily.

Yuri shook his head. "I know he'd read this as a ransom note, and a taunt...I wanted to be sure of what it meant before I went to him..."

"Why?" Estelle asked timidly; she had the look of someone who desperately wanted to hope, but was afraid to. "Why would an Earth Alliance officer save my son's life? Or was this sent to toy with us? You know, don't you Siegel?"

"This is accurate," Siegel said calmly. Estelle's face lit up, and she started sobbing in relief on her husband's shoulder. Yuri's face crumbled with relief, though he maintained his composure. "I have it on good authority from a friend in the Orb Union, that the official record of your son's capture from the _Archangel_ was sent to them along with the picture."

Yuri looked utterly floored. "But...but why?" He asked eventually. "Why would Naturals – especially EA officers! - risk a battle to keep my son alive?"

"The answer to that is somewhat complicated," Siegel admitted ruefully. "The young man responsible for saving Nicol's life is currently in my backyard. He isn't a Natural; he's a Coordinator."

Both Amalfis gaped at him in disbelief. "Yes, as strange as it might seem, Patrick and le Creuset lied to the council when reporting this. According to the boy, one Kira Yamato, he is a citizen of Heliopolis and an ORB native. When le Creuset's attack force stormed the colony to take the G-Weapons, he happened to be in Morganrate and was thrown into the cockpit."

"An Orb native!" Yuri said weakly. "No wonder he joined the Earth Forces, after that." The older man had never been comfortable with Heliopolis's destruction. Le Creuset reported that the EA had instigated the collapse, but Yuri had learned from his son about the man's use of D equipment. He would have raised an objection, if doing so wouldn't have gotten Nicol into trouble.

Siegel chuckled. "As Yamato has insisted repeatedly, to no avail apparently," the brown haired boy had looked exceptionally frustrated when discussing that, "He joined the ship in order to protect other citizens who had been brought aboard during the chaos."

"As to _why_ Yamato would rescue an enemy ace pilot...I think it is simply in his character." Siegel leaned back in his seat. "I haven't known him for very long, but from what I can gather, he's a compassionate and driven individual, who wants this war to end."

Husband and wife sat there for a moment to absorb this. "And the _Archangel_?" Yuri asked, still fearful. Memories of the incident with Siegel's own daughter were now fresh in his mind. "Why would they...?"

Siegel frowned. "My friend in Orb has kept me informed on the _Archangel_ ever since it successfully descended to Earth, against all odds. With the possible exception of the Lieutenant, that warship is staffed with moderate and conservative Naturals. She does not believe your son is in any danger from them." Siegel grimaced. "Contrary to what Patrick has been rolling through the streets recently, it seems not all Naturals approve of the Earth Alliance and what it as done."

"I won't lie to you two. I don't like what Patrick is up to. I don't like how radical he's become. The Earth Alliance is our enemy, not Naturals in general. We did not evolve from humanity, we are just another subset of them. The path Patrick is walking down now, will all due respect to the dearly departed Lenore Zala, is no better than the ancient race wars."

Estelle nodded immediately; Yuri glanced at her as she said, "No, you're right Siegel...but what can be done about it now?" She had never been comfortable with Patrick's ranting.

"I don't want to ask much of you two," Siegel said. "After all this, Nicol should be able to eventually come home to his parents."

"If you're right about Patrick, that might not be possible unless something changes, and soon," Yuri responded, his tone decisive. "What's your plan, Siegel?"

 _ ****~Out Back~****_

"Are you pacing, Kira?" Lacus asked as she emerged from the kitchen with afternoon tea, to see Kira up and walking around his bed with a determined expression.

"Getting used to moving around again," Kira explained, ducking as a blue Haro jumped over his head. He chuckled; it was like having Tori around...Tori times twenty, given how many were here. "I don't feel pain anymore – just stiffness and exhaustion."

"Don't push yourself too hard," Lacus warned him before placing the tea on the table. "Or you might end up reopening something."

"I'm being careful," Kira protested, though he sat down and accepted the glass with a smile. "I just want to be ready."

A new voice nearby giggled. "You sound like Andy whenever he's in the infirmary. He always tries to leave before he's given the clean bill."

Kira's head snapped to the right at the familiar voice; an older woman was walking towards him, hips swaying slightly. She had dark hair with blonde highlights; there were a pair of long scars on her face and she was wearing gloves...but she was the same lady who had met him at a mansion doorway. She grinned widely as recognition snapped through the kid's eyes and he leapt out of his seat. "M...Miss Aisha?!"

"Hey there, hotshot," Aisha said with a smile. "Fancy running into you up here!"

"You're alive!" Kira exclaimed, eyes wide. "But...I thought..."

Aisha stopped in front of him and put a hand on his still-bandaged shoulder. "You almost got us," Aisha informed him with a grin, "but I had bugged Andy earlier about installing a buffer in case something exploded. So we got pretty banged up, but stayed alive – DeCosta sent some men to check on us, and they dug us out."

"Wow...I'm glad." Kira said with palpable relief. "Then...Mr Waltfeld is also-?"

"Yeah, Andy's fine. Had to get fitted with a prosthetic arm, but he's still kicking. You'll be seeing him again soon enough."

Kira smiled brightly and sank back into his seat. "This week just keeps getting better!" He paused. "And to think I had to get blown up to find out."

"Well, the world isn't perfect," Aisha chuckled. "Don't worry about your friend Athrun either. He's on a shuttle headed back to the PLANTs as we speak."

"That's good," Lacus said with a smile. While she and Athrun weren't in love – Lacus had her suspicions about her fiance's sexuality, given the soft, affectionate way he had talked about Kira before – but they _were_ close friends. She didn't want Athrun to get hurt any more than Kira did.

"So everyone's here;" Kira glanced towards the door; Lacus's father Siegel was walking down the stone path towards them. And behind him were two people Kira hadn't seen before...but the woman's green hair and soft face reminded him very strongly of Nicol. "Good afternoon, Kira. How are you feeling?"

"Just a bit stiff, sir. Apart from that, I'm fine," Kira said. He had met Siegel about a day and a half ago, and the man had made a good impression – stern, but kindly, fair and good natured. The complete opposite of Patrick Zala.

"He's surprisingly gung ho about getting back to Earth, considering how nervous he was back in the desert," Aisha remarked.

Kira shook his head. "I'm not any more comfortable with war than I was before," he explained, "but it's not ending any faster. I have to go back because there are people there I have to protect. I can't end this without their help."

Siegel smiled. "Then I see your decision is already made. Well, I'd like to give you some help. Firstly, some introductions..." He gestured behind him. "Kira, these are Yuri and Estelle Amalfi, of the Supreme Council."

Kira's eyes widened slightly. "Amalfi...so you're Nicol's parents?"

Yuri nodded with a small smile, sizing the boy up. Estelle, meanwhile, strode forward and engulfed the surprised youth in a tight hug. "Bless you, bless you, Yamato," She sobbed. "Thank you. Thank you for protecting my son."

Kira flushed and smiled bashfully. "Y-You're welcome. I'm glad I managed to pull it off...he's a good friend of mine, now."

 _ ****~Back on Earth, in Alaska~****_

" _ **He may have been a civilian, but he was Coordinator, and ALL Coordinators are the enemy!"**_

"You _lousy_ BASTARDS!"

Dearka gaped at his normally quiet, polite friend in disbelief. "Did...did you just _swear_?"

"Can it!" Nicol barked, furious beyond reason. His hands were trembling on the Blitz's controls. "Those miserable, slimy Blue Cosmos freaks! They have no right to talk about Kira like that!"

It took a lot to render Dearka speechless. This was one of those times. Nicol never, ever talked like this. The Creuset team had never even seen him seriously angry before. The worst he had ever gotten was annoyed, whenever someone called him a coward (which they all regretted doing now). Not that these people didn't deserve it – Dearka found himself getting angry on the _Archangel's_ behalf, which surprised him – but it was a clear testament to how Nicol had come to care about Kira Yamato.

Nicol hit his hand against the monitor, growling. "Dearka, turn that off before I strangle someone."

"Seeing as I'm the only other person in range, sure." Dearka said semi jokingly, only to wince when Nicol glared daggers at him and quickly shut the receiver off. The pair stood in unnerving silence for a moment, Nicol visibly seething and Dearka watching him with a mixture of awe and nervousness...

Eventually the blonde regained his nerve and broke the ice. "Man. If I were the Captain of that ship, I'd defect. Some welcome!"

"I agree," Nicol said quietly, having clearly made an effort to control his anger.

"I don't get it," Dearka went on, scowling at the communication link. "Most of that shit those admirals dragged up was our fault, or at least instigated by us. Why insist the staff's incompetent? Considering they survived for this long, when _we_ were trying to kill them, they're probably the best damn force the EA has at its disposal."

"Because the ship was tainted," Nicol responded bitterly. "Tainted by Kira, me and you...if only belatedly for you. Kira risked so much and gave up so much to protect that ship and his friends, and they still act like he's a criminal...just because he's a Coordinator!"

"Well _yeah_ , but shouldn't common sense prevail at this point? He was their greatest asset, and the ship itself isn't that far behind on that front. Why start disavowing them, considering how badly the war's gone for them recently?"

Nicol sat back and thought about that, his face darkening. "Something's not right here...I don't like this, Dearka."

"Neither do I...if those admirals are cooking up something, I don't think any of us are going to want to be around to find out what it is..." Dearka's eyes narrowed slightly. At no point had the admirals specifically mentioned Miriallia Haw; maybe it was safe to assume she hadn't been caught. _Why am I thinking about her so much?_ Dearka wondered.

He glanced at his friend. Nicol's shoulders were set in stone, and his hands were still shaking. "Hey. We all know who Yamato really was. Those pricks can bluster all they want, but that truth isn't going anywhere."

Nicol let out a shaky breath. "I...I know. It just burns me up. Kira deserves better than that."

Dearka smiled as a thought occurred to him. "Then how about we make their day a little worse?" Nicol glanced questioningly at him, prompting him to wave at the keyboard. "Let's see what they have in store for the near future."

Nicol managed a smile at the thought. "Good idea, Dearka. ...Thanks. My head's clearer now."

"What are friends for?"

 _ ****~Back at the PLANTs~****_

" _Spitbreak's real target isn't Panema. It's Alaska!"_

Kira dropped his teacup at Erica Simmons's words and immediately got to his feet. "No! The _Archangel_...!"

Siegel cursed. "So Zala has deceived us again..." He glanced at Kira. "I was hoping we'd have more time, but it seems we have to move now." The older man turned to his daughter. "Lacus, show Kira to the car. I have to get the keys needed to reach the interior."

Lacus nodded, picked up the box Aisha had brought an hour earlier, and lead Kira out back and into the massive garage. "This is for you; you should get changed." Kira accepted it curiously and opened the box. He found himself grinning widely.

It was a ZAFT redcoat.

"You know, Tolle was right." He commented as he got into the car and slid off his shirt. Lacus giggled and admired the well muscled teenager for a moment before turning her back so he could finish. "The ZAFT uniforms blow the EA's out of the water." After a minute, Kira opened the door and said, "You can come in."

"Oh my," Lacus said appreciatively as she examined him. Despite her squeaky clean, princess esque public image, Lacus enjoyed eye candy as much as any other girl her age – which was plenty. "That suits you much better, Kira."

"I thought so. I hope everyone else agrees." Kira briefly wondered what Nicol and Athrun would think, before blushing lightly. _You can find out when you get back,_ he told himself.

 _I_ will _see them again._

A couple minutes later, Siegel and Aisha rejoined them and the pseudo resistance group drove down the highway. Kira wasn't exactly sure where they were going, and the windows were shaded, but he had a strong hunch. Siegel had mentioned earlier that, if he was going back to Earth, he would need a new Mobile Suit.

It was a tense, hour long drive. When they arrived within the martial complex, Kira was certain of what he was being given, even before Lacus brought him out onto the catwalk and the lights dramatically shone down on the four story Gundam lying asleep in the hanger.

"Whoa," Kira said softly.

"This is ZGMF-X10A Freedom," Lacus announced with a playful smile. "Yes, she's quite pretty, isn't she? She has a nuclear fusion core, so you don't have to worry about the battery as much." She turned back towards her father. "I'm glad I could see you again, Kira. I hope we meet again!"

Kira smiled and saluted her; she and her father were his new superiors, after all. "Plan on it. You and your father get someplace safe, you hear me?" Then he leapt over to the machine and slid into the cockpit.

There was less nervousness and fear as Kira settled down and strapped himself in then when he had first landed in the _Strike_ , but the heart pounding adrenaline was the same. "Let's see here...N-Jammer Canceller? Wow! You have over four times the power of the _Strike_." He tapped the controls. "No disrespect to Old Faithful, but I think we'll get along great, Freedom." Putting on the space helmet, Kira activated the Trans Shift armour and detached the Freedom from its morning. Lacus waved from a closing door.

 _More than will, more then strength...what are you fighting for? Is it worth dying for?_

Kira gunned the engines, ignoring panicked attempts by Patrick Zala's ZAFT forces to hail him. The Freedom launched herself into space, blasting through the opening doors and barrelling towards Earth. Along the way, it passed by a space shuttle, where an otherwise lethargic blue haired boy started and leaned against the window, watching it blast past.

For some reason, Athrun Zala felt an inexplicable flash of joy in his heart at the sight. He'd learn what that meant in a few hours.

 **End Chapter**

 _ **So next time - altered Spitbreak! Half of our main couple reunite, with the other half on the way! As a side note, I adore how hot Kira looks in the ZAFT redcoat - I wholly agree with Tolle on that account. He should have worn it more! Though I admit, Yzak's white commander outfit from Destiny was also pretty badass looking.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Nicol: You've been waiting to use that joke, haven't you?**_

 _ **Me: Eh?**_

 _ **Nicol: (indicates chapter title) That one. It's the same title as your Code Geass story.**_

 _ **Me: (laughs) Well, the Freedom looks like an angel, especially when it's bailing out its allies, and this IS a rescue mission, so why not? (to self) need to update that story...**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 8: Rescue Angel**

Nicol had assumed, originally, that being badly injured and held captive on an enemy ship would be the most dangerous, and most frightening, situation he'd end up in during the war.

Now that he and Dearka were staring down at a Cyclops System the size of three football fields if not bigger, buried beneath the Alaska base, he had found he was _dead_ wrong.

When their hacking had dug up the truth about Spit Break and its target, the two ZAFT pilots had almost simultaneously decided to investigate...just to be sure. What they ended up finding was an inexplicably empty building, which grew even quieter on the inside even after the Spitbreak battle started. Exactly how the EA had found out about the switch in targets wasn't obvious until they got deep inside, where the command centre was disturbingly empty. At some point, they ran into Mu la Flaga and their former CO Rau le Creuset...who revealed the existence of the Cyclops the three of them were currently staring at.

It was the realization that Rau had likely been responsible for this that caused Nicol to fire on him; the man had managed to get away since he wasn't the green haired boy's primary concern. No, that was for the Archangel, and the ZAFT forces – which probably included Yzak, both realized, considering his talents – which would be at the door, waiting to be incinerated by this machine, right now.

"You two!" Mu had nearly jumped out of his skin when the Blitz materialized in the room with him, even more so when it chased off Rau, who had gotten the drop on him with an autopistol. The Hawk of Endymion was torn between disbelief and gratitude; he hadn't expected this of either of them. "What are you two still doing here?"

"Picked a bad day to grow a conscience," Dearka responded semi sarcastically.

"We need to get back to the _Archangel,_ " Nicol said anxiously. "We all have to get out of here!"

To punctuate this, the Alaska base was rocked by another explosion. Nicol lowered the Blitz's hand, allowing Mu to climb aboard, before jetting through the various empty hallways back towards the port. _It's not going to end like this. It can't._

The port was full of smoke. Mu darted for his Skygrasper, while the Blitz headed directly out; a repurposed Aile pack leftover from the Strike granted the ebony war machine temporary atmosphere flight. Initially Nicol went under Mirage Colloid, to ensure that both of them reached the ship in tact...even if that required firing at ZAFT.

 _Is this what it was like for Kira?_ Nicol wondered as his heart twisted. _Just get out of the way! Or else..._

He landed on the Archangel's launch deck. "Let me out, Nick," Dearka said in agitation. "Let me go to the Buster. We're gonna need more guns if we're going to get out of this mess."

Nicol hesitated. "Are you sure, Dearka? You know we're both going to be listed as renegades if we're seen."

"By who? Creuset, after he set this trap for ZAFT?" Dearka retorted. "That's not gonna mean much if we all die here, will it?"

Nicol nodded, and he found himself smiling a bit. Whenever Dearka took something seriously, it meant a lot; and the green haired boy had a sneaking suspicion what – or more accurately, who – had made such an impression on him. "I'm glad. I'd be grateful to not have to run guard duty all by myself."

"And I had a sneaking suspicion that'd be your choice, too," Dearka said flatly as the Blitz's cockpit opened. "Who else is going to watch out for you when you play hero?" He jumped out and climbed to the floor, heading for the Buster.

"Good question..." Nicol shook his head, the levity bleeding away as another explosion rocked the _Archangel_. Making a quick adjustment to the OS – the Blitz still wasn't quite used to the added Aile pack yet – he turned around and flew out into the storm of bullets.

Up above and further back, Yzak Joule was savagely blowing apart everything that got too close to him. Having (apparently) lost _two_ of his teammates (one of whom was his _best friend_ ) to the Naturals he'd been taught to despise by Bloody Valentine was doing no good for his already non-existent temper. While blasting apart another skygrasper, something new blipped on the Duel's radar...

Yzak focused on it, and what he saw made him choke with rage. It was the Blitz! The ebony machine – _Nicol's_ machine – was hovering around the Legged Ship, shooting (non fatally, oddly – aiming for cameras and weapons) at any GINN that got too close to it. The radar clicked again, and the Buster emerged as well, though it wasn't flying – merely perched near the edge of the launch deck and aiming from there.

Pure hatred surged through him, quick and uncontrollable as usual. "You BASTARDS!" Moving away from the main gates, Yzak charged the Blitz, it being closer of the pair. He hated how it's existence made a mockery of the younger boy's sacrifice; being used to protect the same people who had killed him. "How DARE you use their machines!"

The Blitz jerked backwards, avoiding the first sword strike. Instead of retaliating, it just dodged, moving in every direction away from the Archangel. Yzak found himself reminded of how the Strike had behaved in his first real battle with it, which of course just angered him further.

Before being attacked by the Duel, the Blitz had been locked onto a GINN. However, now that he was distracted the machine had managed to slip past the barrage of fire put up by the Archangel and was hovering in front of the command tower. It raised its gun...

...and a green ray of light blasted down from the heavens, blowing off the GINN's arm and destroying its weapon. Both Yzak and Nicol jerked and spun around to see the source of the new signal...

It looked like an angel, descending from the heavens. It was red, white and blue, superficially resembling the _Strike_ but being bigger and armed with far more guns. With a second attack, this time from a sword, the new mobile suit slashed off the GINN's head, forcing it back. Hovering in front of the tower, the mobile suit spread its wings, revealing its full glory and silently intimidating all who would approach the _Archangel_.

Both the Blitz and Buster's communicators buzzed. It was the same frequency that the _Archangel_ used to speak...and it was coming from the new Mobile Suit.

" _This is Kira Yamato, in the Freedom Gundam!"_ The young man thundered; Nicol's heart leapt and his hands froze. " _Archangel, Blitz, Buster, I'll cover you! Please, retreat to safety!"_

"KIRA!" Nicol cried happily.

His camera system came to life; Kira was dressed in a ZAFT elite uniform with a space helmet; he looked like had arrived in a hurry. Those expressive violet eyes, just as warm and beautiful as the young pianist first remembered them, widened in surprise. " _Nicol? Is that you in there?"_

"Yes! I never believed-" Nicol broke off to dodge another burst of gunfire; he'd nearly forgotten they were in the middle of a fight. "-well, I'll tell you later! Kira, there's a cyclops system beneath the Alaska base! Once the main gate comes down-"

"- _The commanders will use it,"_ Kira spat out, protective rage surging through his handsome features. Nicol's pounding heart grew scorching hot at the sight. " _Thank god, I made it in time..."_

The Freedom flew further into the sky...and unleashed its Full Burst Mode; dropping nearly thirty suits all at once, all non fatally at that.

"What the hell was that?!" Yzak sputtered, while Mu let out a wild whoop. That miracle of a boy really was back!

" _Listen, all ZAFT and Earth Forces!"_ Kira shouted into an open channel, while aiming for another use of Full Burst. " _There's a cyclops system beneath the earth! Any moment now, the system will be activated and the Alaska base will self destruct!"_ He struck the triggers, knocking down another twenty to thirty ZAFT suits foolish enough to approach him. " _Both sides, cease fighting and withdraw to safety! I repeat, the cyclops system will activate and the Alaska base will self destruct! Cease fighting and withdraw to safety!"_

Yzak let out a snarl, "You expect me to believe that?!"

Taking the moment of stunned surprise, Nicol punched his own communicator and yelled, "Yzak, he's telling the truth!"

Yzak froze as still as if he'd been carved in stone as the familiar voice exploded through his cockpit. _What...?! T-That's...No, it can't be!_ The Duel whirled in a speed impressive even by MS standards so it was facing the Blitz again. The enemy machine wasn't pointing any weapons at him...it was hovering, and...reaching out for him? " _N...N, Nicol?_ " He stammered after a moment.

Nicol turned on his camera, allowing Yzak to see his face. The other boy gaped in shock, prompting him to smile for a second before insisting, "Yes, it's me! I'm alive, Yzak, and so's Dearka! But that's not important right now! I saw that cyclops system with my own eyes; it's big enough to turn everything for ten miles into a blast furnace! You have to tell your men to fall back!"

Yzak rocked back in his seat, staring disbelievingly at his friend, who had seemingly risen from the dead. " _Hurry, you idiot!"_ Dearka chimed in, for maximum effect. " _That thing's gonna go off any minute! Do you wanna die here?!"_

"I..." Yzak started to float back, torn between uncertainty, confusion, and joy mixed with worry for his comrades. "But what about you two?!"

"We're leaving with the Archangel!" Nicol explained.

" _And before you freak out,"_ Dearka added dryly, _"I'm stuck on this thing since the Buster can't fly, and they're about to be searching for new employers, after being used as bait and canon fodder. We'll see you later, now get moving!_ "

Being teamed up on seemed to do the trick. For the first time in his life, Yzak pulled back and snapped the order into his communicator; "Fall back!"

Kira smiled in relief as a significantly large chunk of the ZAFT troops, after a moment of frozen, indecisive confusion, turned and started fleeing along with the Duel. The other MS only paused once, glancing back at its friends. "Don't worry," Kira promised, though not into the communicator – Yzak needed to focus on putting distance between himself and the base as quickly as possible. "I'll protect them."

Instead, he reached for Mu. "I'll open a path! Stay close to the Archangel," He told the Skygrasper.

" _Roger that. ...It's good to hear your voice again, kid!_ "

Kira fired off Full Burst again, clearing the airspace around the Archangel. The ship then hit maximum combat speed, heading back in the direction they had arrived.

And it wasn't a moment too soon. Warning signals blared through the Freedom's cockpit, followed by Sai's frantic warning, " _They've activated the Cyclops!"_

Kira swore creatively; picked up from Lacus's orange Haro. That thing had a _mouth_. "Nicol, land on the deck! The Blitz isn't fast enough in the atmosphere at the moment!"

" _R-right!"_ Kira watched as the ebony machine landed on the launch deck, next to the Buster, just before the doors slid protectively closed. He then floored the Freedom's energy pedal, easily keeping pace as the Archangel sped away from the base, where the massive white and red sphere was gaining traction...but not enough to catch half of its prey.

 _ ****~Later~****_

Nicol dismounted from the Blitz about three hours later. The Archangel had landed on a coast; while they had escaped damage thanks to the cyclops, it had gotten pretty battered in the hopeless battle. The head mechanic, Murdoch, wanted to make some repairs before they went further.

Dearka groaned as he landed on the floor near the Buster. Nicol headed over to him. "I'm fine," The older boy muttered. "Just tired." He glanced around the room. "So...that was a thing."

The pianist nodded solemnly. "It certainly was something," He said. "I wonder where Kira got that mobile suit..." It was upon saying the other boy's name that the reality of the situation – which had temporarily escaped him while they were fleeing from the edge of certain death – hit him again. "Kira!"

Nicol turned on his heel and headed out the open launch doors – other mechanics and personal were heading outside to see their revenant saviour. Upon stepping out onto the sand, he spotted Captain Murrue, Mu, Miriallia, Flay and some of the other students standing in a group, staring up at the Freedom. The massive mobile suit had landed, kneeling, a couple yards away from the ship...and Kira was coming down now.

Nicol didn't remember running – his mind wasn't particularly present. He skidded to a halt a couple feet away from the other boy, and stared. Kira was dressed in ZAFT elite red; he wore it _far_ better than the EA uniform he'd always been in before. It highlighted his face and his wry, lean form. And Kira himself...his body language was different. He was more confident, clear headed, centered...even a little relaxed, having succeeded with the initial mission. In short...he looked _extremely_ attractive...something that was further emphasized when he smiled.

"Hey Nicol."

The pianist stood on his toes for a moment, before lunging forward and hugging Kira fiercely, tears welling at the edges of his eyes. "I knew you were alive!" He sobbed. "I knew it!"

Kira blushed slightly, very aware they had an audience; yet he found himself putting his hands on Nicol's shoulders, returning the gesture. "It was a close call. But...I had important things to stay for."

Mir, spurred by Nicol's reaction, ran forward next, and soon the twosome found themselves surrounded by happy, curious officers. Embarrassed, they broke apart, though both were still grinning. Dearka stood awkwardly a few metres away; he was grateful Kira hadn't killed Nicol way back, but he still wasn't sure what to make of the other pilot. That, and he felt an odd stab of pain/irritation when Miriallia hugged Kira.

An awed Murrue spoke up at last. "Kira...but how...?"

Kira blinked at her, "I told you I'd find you again. Did you not believe me?"

Mu recovered next, "Kid, the Aegis freaking exploded. What were we supposed to think?"

"That Athrun was upset and seriously misinformed?" Kira responded with a chuckle, before continuing more seriously, "I managed to eject in time, though I did get badly hurt. I was found by a reverend and brought to the PLANTs, where I was nursed back to health by a friend."

"And...that friend...gave you that?" Mu asked, gesturing towards the Freedom.

Kira's expression became serious, "Before I explain everything, I need to know what you guys are planning to do now...after that," He tilted his head significantly in the direction of Alaska.

Nicol frowned. "Good point. Panema wouldn't be too happy to see the Archangel even if it stuck around, and ZAFT is going to be angry when they hear I shot at Rau le Cresuet..."

Kira looked at him in surprise; Nicol quickly gave him the cliff notes version of everything that had happened since the battle on Marshal Islands. Kira seemed irritated but not surprised by the behaviour of the EA, though he gave both Nicol and Dearka an appreciative look when he found out they stayed behind. Dearka just smirked in response to cover his uncertainty, casting a quick look at Miriallia, who caught it and blinked in confusion. Nicol strangled the desire to snicker, again, with some effort; to see Dearka – who was usually the most, well, let's say _experienced,_ with girls/romantic relationships – acting like this was really something else.

"Why don't we go to Orb?" Miriallia suggested. When everyone turned to look at her, she said, "It's the only place that's bound to welcome us without reservation...given everything that's happened."

Murrue thought about that for a moment, before nodding reluctantly. "You're probably right, Crewman Haw...Miriallia. And there, we may be able to find out what's going on in the rest of the world."

Everyone headed back to the ship; Nicol moved the Blitz and the Buster to make room for the Freedom. The majestic looking machine was bigger than either of them, and it honestly left him somewhat in awe. After it was secured, Kira wired down and rejoined him.

"I have to say...I was a little surprised to see you still here, Nicol." Kira admitted to him. His eyes widened and and he quickly added, "I-I don't mean that in a bad way – I'm glad to see you!"

"Nice save," Nicol responded with a smile.

"Ehehe, sorry...I kind of thought you would return to ZAFT."

"No, I understand. To be honest...I couldn't decide what to do, for the longest time...at least, that's what I told myself. Once I found out about the cyclops...and le Creuset...I knew I had to stay." Nicol responded, thinking of the moments he and Dearka had spent at Alaska, inside the Blitz, pondering their situation. He grinned at the other boy and said mock accusingly, "And it's all your fault, Kira."

"My fault?" Kira looked honestly flummoxed, which amused Nicol to no end. The green haired boy was starting to see why Dearka enjoyed teasing his friends so much. _He really doesn't know, the effect he has on people?_ "I would've understood if you had left-"

"That's not the point. I wanted to stay because I wanted to protect these people, the way you would have. To find a way to win the war, without the sort of death and suffering le Creuset would have inflicted. And I wanted to do it for you." Nicol crossed his arms, watching as Kira's face flushed and those pretty violet eyes widened. "No wonder you and Athrun have been essentially splash fighting this whole time, not counting the battle at Marshal Island. And now _I'm_ in the same boat."

"I...I..." Kira stuttered for a second, temporarily speechless. Eventually he managed to protest, "That's not fair, Nicol. I have no idea what to say to that!"

Nicol punched him in the shoulder, and smiled. "You don't have to say anything...you just have to be _alive_. Do you understand?"

Kira grabbed Nicol's hand, and held it gently for a moment. "Yeah. I understand." He then blinked, with the air of someone just remembering something. "Speaking of not dying, I met your parents while I was on the PLANTs."

Nicol nearly jumped, "You _did_?! Where did you end up?"

"The Clyne residence." Kira explained. "I was there for several days, and Lacus's father introduced us the day before I left onboard the Freedom." Nicol gave him a very anxious look, and he went on, "Officially you're still listed as Killed in Action, but now they both know the truth and we confirmed it just yesterday."

The pianist nearly wilted with relief. "Thank goodness." Then he went back to looking apprehensive. "S, So the Clynes gave you the Freedom? I don't think Athrun's father is going to be very happy about that..."

"He won't be," Kira agreed, looking more serious. "Seigel, Lacus, your parents, and Mr Waltfeld ([wow, everyone's coming back from the dead these days] (...so it would seem)) were planning to go underground, and then cause some sort of public splintering of ZAFT after I left. A revolution, hopefully preventing Elder Zala from being able to marshal the PLANTs' full strength and start drawing this war to a close." Kira shrugged slightly, clearly he was a bit nervous about this plan himself. "They didn't tell me too many of the details, since I had to leave in a hurry, but we'll probably see the results once we've reached Orb."

Nicol let out a relieved sigh. "When I saw le Creuset down there, realized what he'd done...I was afraid that all of ZAFT had become something evil, to avenge Junius Seven...I'm glad I'm wrong."

Kira nodded. Nicol stared at him for a second before blurting, "By the way, that outfit – it looks great. I mean – well - h-have you joined ZAFT?"

"Um, yes and no," The brunette said, looking a little self conscious. "Siegel Clyne is -technically- my boss now, and he's in charge of True ZAFT – I think that's what he's calling it. I seriously doubt you'll find my registration in the official books at the moment."

"Great." Nicol felt his cheeks warm slightly. "This is great. I can't wait to see the look on Athrun's face when he sees you in this."

"Me too," Kira admitted, grinning. "You think he'll forget to speak English? Or will he try to break my ribs, like you did?" Nicol blushed and laughed a bit, which Kira joined in on. For a moment, they forgot they were in a crowded hanger.

"Man. The universe is coming apart at the seams these days..." Dearka complained. Nicol spun around, surprised – he hadn't heard the other coordinator creeping up on them. Dearka raised an eyebrow and looked between them. "Am I interrupting something?"

"...W-What's that supposed to mean?" Kira asked haltingly.

Dearka thought for a second...before chuckling knowingly. "Anything, really..." He said dismissively. There was a look in his eye that Nicol did not like at _all_. "So, you were the Strike pilot?" He asked Kira casually.

"Yeah."

Dearka eyed him for a second, before dramatically sighing and running his fingers through his hair. "I'm not sure whether to be seriously impressed, or pissed off at the fact that the four of us ZAFT aces got tossed around by a freaking college kid."

"Uh...let's go with impressed." Kira ventured hopefully. "You're Dearka Elsman, right?" Dearka eyed him for another minute before offering his hand, which the brunette shook with some relief. "Kira Yamato."

"Yeah, I kinda put that together." Dearka glanced up at the Freedom. "You've got a lot of guns on that thing..."

"Full Burst Mode," Kira recited. "That's what it's called. When I go into SEED mode, I can use it non-lethally on nearly thirty enemy armours simultaneously."

"Huh?" Nicol and Dearka both blinked at him.

"Oh, right," Kira blushed sheepishly. "I guess no one really knows about it..."

"SEED mode...is that some sort of OS upgrade?" Nicol guessed.

"No, it's...an innate battle spirit, possessed by some Coordinators." Kira said, rubbing his neck as he tried to remember how Aisha had described it. "Okay, how to explain this... well, it's sort of a berserker mode, which drastically increases a Coordinator's reaction times and enhances their physical/mental capabilities." He glanced at them. "You've seen me in that state at least once; the battle before the Eighth Fleet arrived."

Dearka blinked, taking a second to recall that engagement...and his face flooded with realization. "So _that's_ how you went from grappling with Yzak, to kicking him around like a freshman at the academy _and_ driving Nicol away from the _Archangel_ bridge?" Nicol winced slightly at the reminder. To think he had nearly killed these people...

"Yeah. It's happened to me multiple times...though I couldn't control when it activated before now." Kira said.

Dearka pondered that for a moment. "What are the chances of having SEED? I mean, do you think Nicol or I might have it?"

"Well, it's still considered theoretical by most licensed doctors." Kira said. "I'm probably not the right person to ask...maybe Miss Simmons at Orb could tell."

He glanced at the hallway. "Let's get to the bridge, and find out how long it'll take us to reach there. Besides, I'd like to catch up properly."

 ****~ _At the PLANTs_ ~****

Athrun Zala was emotionally jarred, confused, and without support. He was getting a little sick of feeling that way.

Upon his arrival at the PLANTs, he had been immediately pulled aside by a ZAFT greencoat who quickly brought him to his father's office. Patrick proceeded to show his son precicely _zero_ support or affection or admiration for what he 'achieved' (ie destroying the Strike. Even though Athrun personally loathed himself for doing so, the uninformed PLANT citizen thought it was heroic.) and instead went on an angry row about how one of the two super prototype mobile suits had been stolen. The one that had blasted past his shuttle on the way up, actually.

Then Patrick had shown him the footage of the theft. It was Lacus Clyne, Athrun's close friend and confident, giving her blessing to a boy who's back was to the camera the entire time. Athrun had a distant, haunting feeling that he should _really_ recognize this person, but he was largely distracted by this new apparent betrayal.

That wasn't all. Apparently, half the Supreme Council had renegaded and left the PLANTs, taking half of ZAFT's fighting strength with them. The force was being lead by Seigel Clyne, and included the Amalfis and Dearka's _mother_. Siegel had publicly denounced the creation of the N Jammer Cancellers that made both the new suits – Freedom and Justice – work, along with a number of Patrick's violent decisions, before vanishing.

Finally, apparently oblivious to his son's pain and confusion, Patrick had announced that Athrun would be the pilot of the Justice and ordered him to hunt down the traitors.

"God, the world's gone insane...Kira...what would you make of all this...?" Athrun wondered aloud as he walked through what remained of the Clyne mansion. It had been thoroughly ransacked by Patrick's men in the search for the owners.

A sad smile crossed his face. Kira would have been terribly upset. Everything about war made him feel that way. Maybe it was a kindness that he wasn't here to see how awful everything was becoming...

Athrun clutched his chest with his free hand. Thinking about Kira sent scalding pain through his heart; no less than he deserved, but it made it difficult to focus. Instead, he'd get caught up in memories. Kira returning Lacus to him, crying and pleading that he didn't want to fight Athrun, but there were people who would die without his protection. _Why hadn't I believed him_? _What else would convince Kira, sweet, gentle Kira, to enter war?_ Athrun thought morosely. _He and Nicol were almost identical in that respect. ...They would have liked each other a lot._

Athrun wondered what had become of Nicol. He was alive when Kira last saw him...but what about at Alaska? Or even before that? Would the Earth Alliance have executed him? There were plenty of horror stories about coordinator's experiences with alliance POW camps, but it was hard to tell what was real and what was the Council's propaganda. Kira wouldn't have worked for murderers...but the people at Alaska were not of the same cloth as the _Archangel_. That cyclops system had proven that...

 _I'd go looking for you, Nicol...but you wouldn't recognize me. I'm not...no longer...worthy of knowing you. After what I've become. I hope that my death doesn't hurt you too much._

"Haro!"

 _What would you want me to do now, Kira? What sort of end could absolve my betrayal of you?_

"Haro Haro!"

Athrun snapped out of his brooding at the mechanical voice, freezing like he'd received an electric shock. A slightly soot covered pink Haro – one of the robots he had made for Lacus – came bouncing around the corner.

"Come with me! Come with me!" The pink machine turned and bounced back. Athrun swore and sprinted to keep up, following it to a wrecked flower bed.

Athrun stared at the mess for a moment, before the memory clicked in his head – Lacus had planted those flowers to commemorate her first big performance, at the White Symphony Theatre. The only reason a Haro would still be here now...was that she wanted him to find her. _Absurd risks...that sounds like Lacus all right._ Taking the Haro in one hand, he walked back in the direction of his car.

It took an hour to drive to White Symphony; if Athrun was a little more present he would have noticed he was being discreetly tailed. The ace pilot was virtually out of it, lost in grief and guilt and memories...though right now, the determination to know the truth, or at least get some facts straight, was giving him some much needed clarity.

Athrun got in the theatre parking lot and took out his hand gun. It was purely out of habit – he doubted he'd shoot Lacus even if she had been 'the traitor'. Right now, he needed to talk to her. So he walked inside, watching carefully for soldiers within the building.

Lacus was singing on stage. It was one of her older songs, one she had written and preformed at the beginning of the war, just after Bloody Valentine. Athrun silently walked down the hall, listening to the lyrics...they made him think of the Marshal Island battle...was everything in this universe determined to remind him of what he'd done? What he'd lost?

The song ended. Haro jumped out of his hands, calling, "Lacus! Lacus!" The pink haired girl laughed happily and held out her hands for the machine to jump in. Athrun quietly ascended to the stage and stared at his ex-fiance, looking distant.

"Lacus..." Where to start? He had so many questions... "What did you do?"

"I'm sure you've heard all about it." Lacus responded, annoyingly placid and friendly. "That's why you came to see me, right?"

"Please, not now," Athrun snapped, his voice calm and level, tightening his grip on the gun but not raising it. "Why wait for me? Why do something so absurd after your father has instigated a civil splinter within the PLANTs?"

Lacus's casual smile fractured at that; she regarded him with those dark blue eyes in silence for a moment. "You look so tired, Athrun. I thought you would be much angrier about it. Especially since your father..."

"I'm _serious_ , Lacus. Stop deflecting. Why wait for me? Did you stay to convince me of something? You've realized what I've become now, haven't you?"

Lacus frowned. Athrun was in worse shape than she thought. She almost would have preferred rage to the dull lifelessness pervading in those green eyes now. "I waited because I wanted to talk to you. About the Council, and their decisions."

"Hm." Athrun's eyes narrowed. "It's true. My father is a man I can't recognize, and people in airports talk of 'avenging' the JOSH-A incident."

"You're more perceptive than you used to be." Lacus said quietly. "Most people would struggle to see evil in the eyes of their parents."

"My eyes were opened." Athrun responded in a rather matter of fact way. "I think people who've committed a great evil can see it in others."

"Evil..." Understanding dawned on Lacus in a terrible rush, and she started to stand up. "Oh, Athrun...you think-"

"You should leave, Lacus," Athrun said flatly, gesturing towards the doors of the theatre. "Get to safety...don't waste your words on a man who would murder someone he loved. Spend them on someone who could master them, like..." He couldn't even say the other boy's name. "...like _he_ could have. Besides...I need to go and choose my final mission."

Lacus gasped. She stood frozen for a second, before rushing forward and slapping Athrun. "What do you mean, _final?_ " She demanded. "Are...are you intending to _die_? How could you do thatto them?!"

Athrun shook his head. "... _Them_? Who's them?"

"Nicol and Kira!" Lacus shouted in his face, tears forming at the edges of her eyes at the sight of this broken man.

Athrun's eyes widened, and hearing Kira's name sparked his first real emotional reaction in weeks. He pointed the gun between Lacus's eyes and snarled, "Don't _taunt_ me Lacus! Kira's gone! I betrayed him...and murdered him! Don't use _him_ against me! _You didn't know him!_ "

"I _did_ get to know him." Lacus responded bravely, her hand going into her pocket. "You saw the footage, didn't you? _ **You saw the footage of me giving him the Freedom**_."

"... _WHAT?_ " Athrun choked out, eyes widening. Faintly he remembered thinking the person on the catwalk looked familiar. He stared at Lacus, his gun arm dropping to his side as she pulled out a phone and started a video...

It was Kira. His Kira. Lying on a bed, wrapped in bandages from a severe injury...but up, moving and speaking. Lacus was sitting on a chair next to him, while a reverend stood nearby. " _Ow...where?"_ Kira asked, sitting up.

Upon hearing his voice, Athrun staggered backwards as if hit by a physical blow. Lacus watched in concern, half afraid the blue haired boy would outright faint. " _You were hurt pretty badly,"_ the Lacus in the recording told Kira. " _The reverend found you on Marshal Island, and brought you here."_

" _The...island..."_ Kira shot up in visible panic, causing Lacus to scold him and push him down. " _Athrun!"_

The gun clattered to the floor; though thankfully Athrun hadn't loaded it so they were spared a repeat of Cagalli's mistake. White Symphony suddenly became an indistinguishable blur as tears rushed down his cheeks; trembling violently, he knelt on the stage, a strangled sob of joy finally escaping him. Athrun found himself laughing as he cried, pressing his shaking fingers against his knees in a vain attempt to steady himself.

Kira was alive.

 _ **Kira was alive!**_

Suddenly warm arms surrounded him and pulled him into a gentle, stabilizing hug. "Oh Athrun...you hadn't known? This whole time, you hadn't known? I'm so sorry."

Lacus gently ran her fingers through his hair, like Lenore used to when he was a child. "I gave Kira the Freedom because I felt he needed a newer, better sword. So he could go back to the Archangel, where his friends and Nicol and Dearka are. Don't you know, the reason the Amalfis left with father is because Kira sent them a letter showing that Nicol was still alive, too."

Athrun took a shaky breath. "You want to go to them, don't you?" Lacus asked sympathetically. Her former fiance just nodded, unable to speak. "I think they'll give you the Justice, for the purpose of tracking and destroying the Freedom. And if I were the Archangel, I would be heading for Orb."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Isn't it nice when everyone gets along? Obviously, things are ending up a little different from canon...which may very well be good news for ORB, considering they're about to be attacked. Plenty of fluff and teasing to go around, with more on the way! I am such a sap.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: (pushes script aside) No. Must not get distracted by the kids. Must finish this story first at least. Do not get a new idea. Not right now.**_

 _ **Kira: Kids? What kids...wait...are you-?!**_

 _ **Me: (smirks)**_

 _ **Kira: I...ah...kids...me...?**_

 _ **Me: You and everyone. Don't worry, I have a nice story with them...that will hopefully change a good bit about Destiny. It's tied to the Dark Future, which is a bit stuck at the moment...but spoilers for that story should be minimum...**_

 _ **Kira: kids...(is blanking out)**_

 _ **Me: (snickers)**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 9: The Land of Peace**

"You are _such_ an _idiot!_ "

"Ow! Ow, Cagalli! That hurts!"

Kira pushed at Cagalli Yula Athha's shoulders, trying to pry the angry and emotional girl off him. He, Nicol and Dearka were just disembarking from the Archangel when he heard someone yell his name. He'd hardly enough time to turn around before the blonde shot into him and threw him to the ground.

Nicol let out a noise of alarm and moved to help him, though Dearka stopped him with a hand on the shoulder and a look that said, 'let her vent, you would in her position too'.

"You're such a..." Cagalli choked, hitting his chest again. "I thought you were _dead_. I thought I'd never see you again. How could you do that to me?!"

"Wonder if Athrun's gonna be this mad..." Kira mumbled, before saying, "I'm sorry, Cagalli. It wasn't like I planned to..."

Cagalli blinked at the mention of Athrun, allowing Kira to gently push her off him. Nicol immediately knelt down and helped the brunette get back to his feet. "Are you okay, Kira?" The pianist asked. Cagalli looked at him in surprise; she hadn't really noticed Kira's two friends when she went to tackle him. Now she realized she hadn't recognized them, despite having met the college students.

"Yeah, no worries...trust me, her slaps are worse..." Kira gestured between the three. "Nicol, Dearka, this is my friend, Cagalli Yula Athha. Cagalli, these are the Blitz and Buster pilots – Nicol Amalfi and Dearka Elsman."

"The...the ZAFT pilots?" Cagalli said in stupefied surprise. "What are...what are you doing here?"

"Ask that guy," Dearka said, pointing at Kira. "It's his fault."

Kira rolled his eyes. "And now you're blaming me too; thanks Nicol." The green haired boy blushed slightly and shot him an indigent look. "What really happened was there was a close call at Marshal Island – Athrun was out of power and I was standing over him with the Aile sword, so I wouldn't blame his friends for being confused -" Nicol's blush darkened a shade, "so I got charged – I had about five seconds to respond, but thankfully this whole nightmare has given me some good skills. I captured the Blitz – and Nicol – instead of killing him, which might have happened if I reacted any slower. Dearka joined as after that, thanks to Commander Mu-"

"It was the Buster's forward cameras shorting out," Dearka insisted, prompting Kira to give him a 'yeah, you keep telling yourself that' look before continuing.

"-and while Nicol was recovering from his injuries, I befriended him. So did Miriallia, for that matter...though I hear she and Dearka hit it off pretty spectacularly while I was out of commission-"

The blonde groaned, running his hand through his messy hair. "I already apologized for that – I hadn't known, alright?! I hadn't known."

"-anyway, because I apparently pissed off a voodoo priest at some point-" both Dearka and Nicol snickered at this analysis of Kira's terrible luck; Cagalli cracked a smile as well though she was still distracted by the story "-thanks to camera angles, Athrun thought I had killed Nicol in cold blood, and then salvaged the Blitz for parts, so we can thank that for the mess at the other island. I ejected before the Aegis self destructed, but I still ended up falling, fracturing my ribs, suffering third degree burns, getting concussed, and spent the next thirty hours in various states of unconsciousness. Luckily for me, I was found by a reverend who took me to the safety of the PLANTs."

"The PLANTs?" Cagalli asked blankly. "Do...do you have anything to do with the schism they experienced last week?"

Kira raised an eyebrow, trying to look innocent. "Maybe?"

Cagalli stared for a second, before punching him again and saying, "You suck, you know that?"

"I guess so," Kira joked, before going on, "the reverend brought me to the Clynes, who nursed me back to health and stole the new prototype suit Freedom. I recovered in time to take it back to Alaska, with no seconds to spare, and guess who I found protecting the Archangel in my stead?" He shot the pair a smile. "So I landed, blasted a path open, and we all got the hell out of there while the cyclops system blew up semi uselessly behind us."

"We haven't gotten any news since then," Nicol put in. "Miss Murrue's pretty anxious to figure out what's going on in the world right now. Is there a TV we can sit in front of for a while?"

Cagalli blinked a few times, absorbing all this, before nodding and saying, "My father said he wanted to talk to you and the other officers of that ship...which I think includes you two, considering what happened at Alaska."

Dearka shrugged. "Lead the way, princess."

Kira cringed and Cagalli shot him a death glare. "Do NOT call me princess." She ordered, putting her hands on her hips.

"Yes ma'am," Nicol said meekly, before mumbling something that sounded like, 'wow, she and Shiho would get along great'.

Cagalli's expression softened a bit and said, "No 'ma'am' either. Just call me Cagalli. If you're friends with Kira, you're a friend of mine."

 _ ****~In Lord Uzumi's Office~****_

Lord Uzumi, Ledonir Kisaka and Cagalli sat and listened intently while Mu and Murrue took turns explaining what happened at Alaska itself. Kira, Nicol and Dearka sat off to one side, while Miriallia, Sai, and Flay sat on the other – apparently having insisted on being included. Kira noticed with a smile that Sai and Flay were sitting next to each other again. It was nice to see that they were reconciling, after what happened...hopefully they'd be able to rekindle their relationship when all this mess was over.

"A cyclops system...even knowing what ZAFT was sending their way, that was an extreme course of action..." Uzumi muttered, looking grim.

"I'd say it nearly worked perfectly," Kisaka said. "Think about it. They would have lured the better part of ZAFT's fighting strength into a trap, and destroyed them completely. It would have been weeks before the PLANTs would have been able to formulate any significant response." He nodded towards Nicol and Dearka. "Thanks to our new friends, about half the force managed to retreat before the system went up. They're going to be angry because of that."

"Pity," Dearka said coolly, his expression remote as he thought about Yzak. Wondering what the other boy was making of the fact that he and Nicol had stuck with the _Archangel._ Privately Dearka feared that once the shock wore off, Yzak would start to read that as a betrayal.

Miriallia found herself looking curiously at the blonde across from her...even in battle, he had always been smiling, casual and determined. Seeing him quiet, distant...upset...it felt _wrong_. _What's the matter with me_? She wondered, feeling a slight flush in her cheeks. _Why am I thinking like that? I've only known him for a month...stop it, Mir, and remember Tolle._ She wrenched her gaze away from the coordinator and stared down at her hands.

"What _I_ still can't figure out is why Rau le Creuset was down there," Nicol said, shaking his head. "Given the circumstances, he's the only one who could have leaked that information, and he told Commander – sorry, Mu -" He was still adjusting to referring to some of the Archangel staff informally "-that we were all going to die."

"That _is_ the great mystery in all of this," Uzumi acknowledged. "I can't imagine what his motives might have been. He's shown no reason to be disloyal to the PLANTs, and he never would have been properly welcome to the Earth Forces."

"He may have his own agenda," Kisaka noted gravely. "Unfortunately, that makes his next moves almost impossible for us to predict."

"Even without le Creuset's stakes in this, I'm afraid the situation is already dangerously changing." With that, Lord Uzumi stood up and turned the TV on. The images from Josh-A had been circulating almost nonstop, despite the fact they were over a week old.

" _To the last soldier, our defence forces fought heroically!"_ Kira noted that there was no footage of the ZAFT forces retreating, or of the Freedom. " _The destruction of Josh-A and the sorrow that accompanied it shall forever be marked as a day of infamy in the books of history."_ The footage did show the barracks of injured and dying, however. Always an effective propaganda image. " _But despite this loss, we shall never submit to them. What right do the Coordinators have to threaten the security of our skies? The sacrifice that was made was immense..."_

"Easy for you to say...you weren't the one doing the sacrificing," Dearka muttered, displeased.

"Shh. Get annoyed afterwards," Kira said, eyes fixed on the TV, though the frown on his face making his agreement with that sentiment plain.

" _...however, we must overcome this great loss and confront our enemies wherever we might find them! We must gather our strength and fight against the arrogant Coordinators to ensure the freedom and security of everyone on earth! To ensure the continued preservation of our blue and pure world!"_

"God, _fuck that line_!" Miriallia exploded, shooting out of her chair. "Preservation? Preserve it from what, the lives of human beings?! Maybe they should start with themselves – this world is certainly rotten thanks to them!"

The coordinators looked at her in surprise, warmth and gratitude respectively; Mu reached out and put a hand on her arm, gently pulling her back into the seat. Flay stared guiltily at her hands, Murrue put a comforting arm around the still-somewhat-fragile girl's shoulders. "Easy, Mir. Come on; you can't expect much logic from people like that."

"Hmph." Miriallia muttered, not noticing Dearka staring at her.

"There's wisdom in what Miss Haw says...though perhaps it could have been put less crudely," Lord Uzumi said, sounding mildly parental. Mir snorted, unrepentant. "Here in Orb, we are one of the few nations who does not bar Coordinators from immigrating. Which may prove to be a problem for our political stance...to go along with this new aggression, the Earth Alliance is putting heavy pressure on neutral nations, such as Switzerland and ourselves, to join in the fight against ZAFT and the PLANTs." The man looked grim. "They are saying that refusal shall be taken as an indication of sympathy towards ZAFT."

Kira snorted, earning a surprised look from Murrue and Mu. "Hah. As if; the real reason is that they're after Orb's Mass Driver and Morganrate."

Uzumi raised an eyebrow at the young man. "Did Siegel Clyne inform you of this?"

There was a short pause as all eyes turned towards Kira. "I notice you're wearing ZAFT's colours, Kira Yamato. I wonder if you know about the call I received two nights ago, which was part of the reason I allowed the Archangel to return and dock here?" The Lion of Orb phrased it more like a statement than a question.

Kira stood up and walked to the centre of the room, his hands behind his back. He no longer looked like a college kid caught way in over his head, or a battered and traumatized teen soldier vainly struggling not to kill those he might care about. His presence was suddenly magnetic and intense. "If the call was an offer for reinforcement and alliance from True ZAFT, then yes, I did."

"True ZAFT?" Murrue whispered. She knew something had changed, since Kira had opted to continue wearing the ZAFT uniform upon returning to the Archangel. He had said there was more, but couldn't tell her yet. Now, however, seemed to be the time.

"The current Chairman of the PLANTs, Patrick Zala, abandoned the ideals and purpose of ZAFT the day Junius Seven was destroyed." Kira said. "The death of his wife Lenore destroyed his sanity; it's left him with a hatred of Naturals that is matched only by Muruta Azreal's hatred of Coordinators." He turned his head towards Mu and Murrue. "The Council that controls the Earth Alliance is nothing but a front for him and his organization, Blue Cosmos."

Murrue gasped in horror. Kira looked apologetic for a moment before stridently continuing, "Patrick Zala has found a way to circumvent the PLANTs own nuclear countermeasures. While originally they were used to create the new Mobile Suits, Freedom and Justice, Siegel discovered that they will serve a much more sinister purpose. There is a canon being built inside the PLANTs, called GENISIS. I don't have all the details of it, but it is classified Level Omega Black – meaning, anyone who learned of it other than the Chairman would be executed on the spot. From what we can gather, it is a doomsday weapon equivalent to the very same nukes that destroyed that colony."

His violet eyes flashed darkly. "And I don't imagine I have to warn you of what would happen should the EA come across the NJC technology."

Flay pressed one hand against her mouth, horrified.

"For this reason, Siegel Clyne, his daughter Lacus, and half the council have renegaded. This includes Yuri and Estelle Amalfi, Eileen Carver, and Diana Elsman." Dearka's head jerked up, surprise and happiness in equal measure crossing his face. "And with them, they've taken half of ZAFT's standing military, and the loyalty of many civilians. While their planned attack on Panema can't be stopped, Patrick Zala will not be able to mount further large offensives with the power he still has. Unfortunately, he is still holed up in the PLANTs, which means the construction of GENISIS is likely continuing on schedule."

"When he told me all of this, I offered him my help. That's how I gained access to the Freedom, but more than that, I'm now a commissioned Commander of True ZAFT. And in that capacity, Clyne would like me to make the following offer."

Kira looked Uzumi in the eye and finished, "Should Panama fall, the Earth Alliance _will_ seek Orb's Mass Driver. And I have no doubt you would reject any alliance with those butchers. Should the Earth Alliance invade Orb, True ZAFT would offer you its support in protecting your nation and its neutrality."

There was a moment of silence. Then Lord Uzumi actually smiled a bit. "I had a feeling you were an exceptional young man when I saw the work you did on the Natural OS. But I have to admit, this has surprised me."

Stepping around the table, the Lion of Orb said, "I believe you're right, Commander Yamato. Can you contact Siegel Clyne from here?"

Kira smiled with relief. "Yes sir."

"Good. Tell him I accept his assistance, and he has our permission to land True ZAFT and their troops on Orb. It would be wise for them to move as quickly as possible, while Zala's men and the Earth Alliance are preoccupied with the Panama battle."

Kira bowed his head and saluted, before turning back around to face everyone else. "That's the situation," he said. "Miss Murrue, Mu, I don't know what the Archangel intends to do. You're not required to face the battles coming, but if you _did_ stay, I'd be grateful." His eyes flicked to the other side. "Nicol, Dearka, I don't want to ask you to fight your comrades in ZAFT. Whatever you decide to do, Clyne and the council will respect it."

"Why would I go anywhere?" Nicol asked with a smile, getting to his feet. "I'm staying here. I joined ZAFT because I wanted to protect the PLANTs...I think that includes protecting them from Zala, and whatever he's building GENISIS for."

Dearka shrugged and got up. "I'm in. Firstly, I need to get some sort of flight pack for the Buster. I'm sick of being grounded or chained to a Guul; those unreliable junkers just make me a bigger target."

"I...I am going to stay." The next voice, somewhat shaky but determined, was Flay. Kira turned in surprise to see the redhead standing with purpose. "I...I just recently had my eyes opened, about how horrible this conflict is. Naturals and Coordinators...we're being lead to believe that we're going to exterminate each other..."

Flay dug her fingers into her palms, shooting a guilty look at Nicol. The pianist just smiled encouragingly at her, assuring her that she was forgiven for her bout of grief stricken madness. "But that won't change a thing...it's nothing but murder and regret. We're all people, here. I...I won't let them make that mistake again."

"I'm staying too." Miriallia agreed. "Orb is my homeland. I'm sick of this war, and I'm sick of Blue Cosmos. Besides, I joined the Archangel to help my friend...I'm not leaving as long as he still needs it." This time, she did catch Dearka looking at her, and met his gaze steadily.

"If Flay's staying, I'm staying," Sai decided. Flay smiled weakly at him.

Mu sighed and said, "Now you kids are one-upping me...I must be getting old." Kira snickered; that was an objectively absurd thing for a man only in his twenties to say. "I'm in as well. I refuse to serve Blue Cosmos and their insane extermination plan in any capacity." He smiled at Kira. "You've got my help, kid."

"You have mine as well," Murrue said to round out the cast. "I'll collect the Archangel officers and give them this same story. Kira...I'm sorry; _Commander_ Kira, I believe you should get to that call."

Kira's smile widened, and he saluted. "Thank you all so much. I'm privileged to know you."

 ****Line Break****

" _Glad to hear from you, kid. What's the word?"_

"Lord Uzumi agreed with what I told him, Captain Waltfeld. True ZAFT has permission to start landing in the various Orb spaceports." Kira smiled at the older man. "He also says to hurry, while the skies are still relatively clear."

" _Good to hear. Be at the port when I arrive; I've got your Team on board with me. Look for the Eternal in the catalogues, got it?_ " Waltfeld lost a bit of his levity. " _What did Amalfi and Elsman say?_ "

"I was barely done talking before they decided to join," Kira responded, with a note of fondness in his voice. "Let Chairman Amalfi and Miss Elsman know that they'll be at the port with me when you dock." Then the obvious hit him. "My team?"

Waltfeld chuckled. " _Surprised? You weren't just given that rank for ceremonial purposes, kid. I've got six who will be flying with you, not counting your fellow Gundam Pilots."_

"W...wow. I'm honoured." Kira said shyly.

" _That's not all the good news."_ Waltfeld grinned, knowing he'd saved the best for last. " _The Justice broke off from its planned descent point to board the Eternal about three hours ago. Want to guess who was piloting it?"_

Kira's heart damn near stopped in his chest. " _I'm guessing that expression means yes._ " The older man said, when the brunette was unable to formulate an immediate response. _"The prodigal son, Athrun Zala himself. Moving with great purpose I might add; the minute he stepped onto the bridge he was yelling at me and the songstress, 'WHAT's this about Kira joining ZAFT?!' You should have seen his face when I told him everything, kid. Priceless."_

"Athrun..." Kira had to take a few steadying breaths. His heart was hammering at the implications. "Then he's...?"

" _Yup. He's joined us, officially – don't know if his old man knows yet, but I'm glad we're safely out of the PLANTs for_ that _. But I'm sure he'll tell you himself once we arrive."_ Waltfeld smirked. " _Try to be as professional as possible in front of the troops, alright?"_

"I...I'll try," Kira managed, before asking, "When can we expect you, Captain?"

" _Evening tomorrow, at the latest. We're approaching Earth as I speak."_

"Great. I'll see you then. Yamato out." With that, Kira turned the terminal off and let out a shaky sigh, grinning. He turned and leaned against the window, staring out across the tarmac towards Morganrate. His heart was twisting with a whole gauntlet of emotions; he was finally going to see Athrun again – properly, not separated by a fence or over a visual screen in a mobile suit.

"Athrun's coming?"

Kira glanced to his right; Nicol had emerged from the hallway and was practically beaming at the news. "Yeah. He linked up with the Eternal and brought the Justice with him." He smiled softly. "At last, we're all on the same side."

"I've really missed him," Nicol confessed. "I think if I hadn't had you around, I'd be in worse shape. Athrun and I..." He paused. "We were close."

"I gathered that much..." It took Kira a few seconds to cotton onto the implications, and the tone of Nicol's voice as he said that. "Wait, are you saying...?"

Nicol blushed lightly. "We met in the ZAFT Academy, in the cafeteria. We sort of ran into each other...I thought he looked lonely, and he thought I looked nervous and out of place. It kind of...spiralled out from there. We agreed not to take it into the field, because it might be dangerous...and I guess I was right." Nicol leaned back. "But you know...I always felt Athrun was a little distracted, like sometimes he was thinking of someone else. When I asked him why he grew close to me so fast, he said it was because I intensely reminded him of someone he missed very much."

"...Me...?" Kira wondered aloud, the quiet tone of his voice completely at odds with the racecar – pace speed his mind was hurtling along at.

Nicol nodded. "I was, kind of curious to be honest. I didn't doubt he cared a lot about me at all, so whoever this mysterious person was, he had to be really special."

The green haired boy leaned against the window pillar across from Kira as he reminisced. "You know, when you first told me about your friendship with Athrun...I was kind of hurt. Not because of you, but because Athrun hadn't told me himself. I realized _you_ were that mystery, that person he had lingering feelings for he didn't quite understand. Now, I'd get him not telling Yzak or Dearka, especially at first – Yzak would have gone berserk, accused him of conflicting loyalties, all sorts of messy things would have happened. But me? I would have understood."

Kira finally managed to put a coherent thought together. "I guess...he didn't want you to get distracted," he said. "He didn't want you to worry about hurting me while you were fighting for the PLANTs. And he probably didn't want, even an offhanded comment, to get to the wrong people."

Nicol nodded, though his eyes were still shadowed. "Yeah, that sounds like Athrun. But...if I'd known, I would have realized you weren't going to kill him, that day."

"I know...but if you hadn't, we never would have met...I probably would have made it to Alaska along with the Strike, and then we _most probably_ all would have died when the cyclops system there activated. I don't know if True ZAFT would even be in existence, and who knows how far south this situation would be going."

"Huh. That's right." Nicol said, smiling. "It was worth it then."

Kira blinked. "It was? I'm glad I met you...but your leg...your arm...your head...you were held prisoner, almost killed when Flay went insane..."

"It all healed. And I got to meet you." Nicol blushed lightly again. "I think that's worth it."

The two stood in shy silence for a moment, just taking each other in. Kira had managed to compartmentalize and understand how his feelings for Athrun had evolved while on the PLANTs; and it was his understanding of his bisexuality that made him start thinking about Nicol differently...not just that the other boy was objectively attractive, but his kindness, his good nature, his affection for music were _powerful_ draws. They had a lot in common...including romantic feelings for Athrun.

"And you know something, Kira...?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I've had a crush on you ever since you saved me."

Kira felt the blood rush to his cheeks. Nicol was staring down at his feet now. "I, um, I don't know what you're preferences are...I mean, I saw Cagalli-"

"Cagalli's just my friend." Kira interrupted, causing the pianist to look up in surprise. "In fact, I think she's more like a little sister...though don't tell her that. I think she fancies herself an _older_ sister." He put his hands behind his head. "I did date a girl recently...but that was a total mess for everyone involved. I think I like having both gates open...I just didn't realize it until _you_ came on board."

"R-Really?!"

"Yeah. Then it sabotaged any good sleep I was having until I figured it out." Kira grinned slightly as he remembered that dream. Now, instead of embarrassment, he was kind of grateful for it. "When I saw what you did for Athrun, I told you I knew I had to save you, right?" Nicol nodded, eyes wide. "Well, that wasn't all. In quick succession, I realized that _I_ would die for him, which lead me to realize I had feelings for him. That lead me to want to protect you too, which then made me think you were cute when you were asleep...and...yeah."

His hands went to his hair, his eyes flickering away from Nicol. Thus, he didn't see the pianist walking towards him as he kept talking, "I guess I wasn't sure what to make of it...I mean, both of you? And it was a whole one thing that at the time we were on opposite sides of a war, which is such a soap opera come to life it would just suit my life, and that was before you try to factor in the-"

Nicol stood on his toes and kissed Kira gently on the lips, cutting off the rest of his rambling tirade instantly. Distantly the brunette heard fireworks going off in his head. It only lasted a few seconds, with the younger boy pulling back and looking intently at him, seeking his reaction.

Kira couldn't figure out what to say. So he didn't say anything. Instead he slid his arms around Nicol's shoulders, leaned in and kissed him, a bit harder this time. The first time they had met, after that battle, Kira remembered the salty tang of blood in the air, the smell of oil and heavy ragged breathing from a lung dangerously close to collapsing. Now there was a slight taste of coffee on Nicol's lips, and he smelled of the ocean...his chest moved only slightly, small quick breaths being all that escaped as the two of them kissed.

"How does that feel?" Nicol whispered as they broke apart, Kira's forehead still resting against his.

"Great." Kira mumbled, silently chastising himself for saying something so pathetic and underwhelming. "I mean...it's...out of this world..."

Nicol smiled softly. "Heavenly...is that it?" Kira nodded slightly. "Good...then you know how I feel about the angel that rescued me." Pushing the slightly taller Coordinator against the wall, Nicol kissed him again, lightly biting at his bottom lip as he did so. Kira's eyes slid shut and one arm dropped down to the small of his crush's back.

It was a few seconds later that the door slid open. "Hey Kira, aren't you gonna head down to Morganraaaa-" The twosome sprang apart and stared at the doorway, where a wide eyed Mu la Flaga was gaping at them. For a moment the room was struck in mortified silence.

The older man quickly recomposed himself and managed, "I am _so_ sorry, I should have knocked."

"Oh thank _god_ ;" Nicol gasped, "For a second I thought you were Dearka." His cheeks flushed at the thought. "Nope, nope, do _not_ want that. Him and his endless, inappropriate one liners. He was bad enough at the academy! If he finds out _this_ now-" the blush darkened. "-god, I'll never, _ever_ hear the end of it!"

"Hey, there's always the possibility of firing back," Kira suggested, trying to catch his breath. When Nicol glanced at him, he elaborated, "What, don't tell me you didn't see the looks he was giving Miriallia during the briefing? Especially when she cursed out Blue Cosmos?"

"I did see that!" Nicol said excitedly. "Hell, I saw it back when we were in the cells. It was immediate and electric, I'm telling you! Never seen anything like it!"

"So that was the cause of sparks in the cafeteria on the way here," Mu remarked, glad for a distraction. He was referring to the half serious, half play arguments Dearka and Miriallia had gotten into, either over food or the uniforms. "I was wondering about that."

"What was that about Morganrate, Mu?" Kira asked, needing the conversation to move elsewhere.

"Right! Well, don't you want to see what's going on over there? The Freedom is mostly getting a polishing, but the upgrade schematics from Clyne's people and Miss Simmons have some big plans for the Blitz and Buster."

Nicol's eyes brightened. "My machine's getting upgraded?"

"Yeah! Simmons can tell you more, kid. Let's go over."

 _ ****~Morganrate~****_

"Yes, the schematics True ZAFT sent were lovely – you'll have to introduce me to Doctor Kaiser sometime; I'd love to exchange notes with him. I think I might start applying some of the basics to the Ashtray models, if we have the time."

Kira's eyes widened in surprise. Not at the upgrade plans Miss Simmons was waving over her head...but at a familiar face. The Strike. The older lady noticed and smiled at him, "You look like you've seen an old friend, Commander Yamato. Yes, we salvaged the remains of your original Gundam and rebuilt it here."

"It's my ride now," Mu said with a grin. "I've been running through the simulators, and I'm telling you kid – I could get used to it!"

"Great." Kira said in awe.

"Would you like to see your machine, Lieutenant Amalfi?" Simmons asked, laughing at the boy's visible enthusiasm when he nodded in response. The group walked past the Strike and the three primary Ashtray models. The three female pilots waved and saluted as they passed by.

The Blitz looked as fiendish as ever, even while it was in repairs; its left arm was properly reloaded. On the right arm, however, was something new...a massive claw with an energy circuit in the centre of its hand. "That," Simmons said, gesturing to it, "is the new and improved Blitzkrieg. Now capable of atmospheric flight, with the same speed as the Strike – not as fast as the Freedom, but its manoeuvrability will be identical to its space capabilities. Now, that claw is called the Gungnir. It has two purposes; it can drain the energy of an opposing machine, ideal for non lethal captures...but reverse that system, and whatever's gripped in it will be reduced to molten slag within a couple of seconds."

Nicol whistled in admiration. With that, he could do what was necessary, but had the option for mercy. It was perfect. Simmons looked grimly satisfied. "I never thought it made much sense for all of your best weapons to be on one arm. With that said...there's the second new weapon." She pointed to the red orb situated just above the cockpit. "That, is an EMP pulse canon. Ideally, you'd use it in tandem with Mirage Colloid – sneak in among enemy ranks, and then disable everything within five hundred years."

"So I'm the army's assassin." Nicol realized.

"Your the surgical strike to Lieutenant Elsman's wall breaker." Simmons said. "The Freedom is multi purpose, so having more specialized backup makes sense."

"I heard my name," Dearka's voice floated from behind them. Kira and Nicol exchanged a quick look, and took a step apart from each other while Mu strangled an amused smile in response, not wanting to give the pair away. "Is the Buster complete?"

"About halfway, Lieutenant." Simmons said, somewhat long suffering sounding as the dark skinned blonde approached. Clearly, he'd been hovering around and asking that repeatedly. "We're working around the clock here, I've already asked you to be patient."

"Well at least tell me about it...you're indulging Nick!"

"Because he hasn't been hovering." Simmons scolded, rolling her eyes.

"Hey, it's my mobile suit! I'm a bit attached after all this crap," Dearka protested, catching up with the group. Kira waved at him and saluted.

"Ah, cut him some slack Miss Simmons. People have been getting attached to their machines since we first started making them." Mu said.

The woman let out a slightly aggravated huff, though her lip curled into a smile. She took pride in her creations, after all. "Very well, all of you come this way..."

The Buster was interned next to Blitzkrieg; it was also looking rather different. Bigger, bulkier; and Kira could have sworn its mounted canons were smaller the last time he saw them. The most noticeable addition was the third canon, mounted on the shoulder.

"Grand Buster," Simmons said sagely. "Now capable of atmospheric flight; though its speed suffers somewhat in comparison to Blitzkrieg or Freedom. Essentially, those two canons have their own batteries now – you'll hit harder and hit more, especially if you use the Shrapnel Beams. Fire one, and once it's travelled a set distance it breaks into eight and flies out in every direction. Used to clear out areas. Now that..." She pointed at the shoulder mounted canon. "Oh, that's special. The girls wanted to call it 'Supreme Canon' when I described it to them."

She smirked at Dearka. "It's a Mobile Suit mounted Lohengrin."

The blonde's eyes lit right the fuck up. " _Seriously_? What's the charge time?"

"Fifteen seconds between firing, and you may need to brace Grand Buster before you use it, depending on the power level."

Dearka looked like a college boy who had just gotten his first non-second-hand car...or had just returned from his first date. "Oh, _yes please!_ "

Mu chuckled. "Man, you're spoiling those kids, Simmons. It's gonna affect your Christmas shopping."

"Well, since the only one I've ever had to buy for was my six year old niece...I think my wallet can handle it." Simmons responded with a grin.

"What's that?" Kira asked curiously, pointing to the large suit at the end of the hallway. It was golden, and superficially resembled the Freedom without the wings. "I don't think that's from Clyne or Kaiser."

"No, that's unique to us. It's been in development for several months; ever since the princess ran off to North Africa actually." Simmons answered. "ORB-01 Akatsuki. That will be Cagalli's suit, should the Earth Alliance bring the fight to Orb."

"The princess is fighting too?" Dearka guessed, before smirking. "Yeah, that sounds like her."

"Yup. Definitely Cagalli." Kira said with a fond smile...though he couldn't deny being a little worried. "Has she flown it yet?"

"I think Lord Uzumi will be asking you to run her through some training exercises at some point, but I don't think there's any force in the universe that could stop her at this point." Simmons answered.

 _ ****~Elsewhere~****_

 _ ****~Onboard the Eternal~****_

Athrun Zala was picking at his dinner in the mess hall of the Eternal; Lacus had all but ordered him to force some food down when she heard he hadn't eaten since leaving the PLANTs. He was trying to, but the butterflies running wild in his stomach were making it difficult. The feeling grew ever more intense the closer he got to Orb.

To Nicol. To _Kira_.

What was he going to do when he saw them again? Hug Nicol – that much he was sure of. Hug him and curse at him for nearly dying, for being so stupid, for putting his life on the line like that – and kiss him, at least on the forehead if not the lips, for surviving.

But what about Kira?

Thousand of thoughts ran through his head. Kneel. Beg for forgiveness. For being such a fool. For not believing him, for being his enemy, for hurting him, for nearly _killing_ him. For actually believing that Kira would hurt him like that, that he would kill Nicol. Would he even be able to say it? Likely he'd freeze and struggle to speak. And of course...

There was a part of him that just wanted to throw Kira against the nearest wall and kiss him until there was no air in his lungs.

"Athrun Zala?"

The blue haired boy snapped out of his thoughts and looked up. There was a vaguely familiar looking girl with brown hair in a Red Coat standing near his table. "Yes? Can I help you?"

The girl grinned and saluted. "Shiho Hahnenfuss. I was assigned to Commander Yamato's unit by Chairman Clyne." She sat down on the bench across from him. "I keep hearing about his accomplishments, and I heard you and he are friends – so I was hoping you'd tell me what to expect!"

Athrun found himself smiling.

"He's brave. Honourable. Loyal. Unshakably kind and empathetic. He doesn't want to fight and kill...which is precisely why he's so powerful."

"Wow. Heine will be excited. I think he mentioned at least half those words when discussing what kind of soldier he'll be back in the academy." Shiho remarked. "I can't wait to meet this guy."

"...Neither can I."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **And canon is officially off the rails! Again, Orb might just meet with a different fate, and the Blitz and Buster have gotten some well deserved upgrades! I plan to use those variants of them in other stories as well, so I hope you like them as they are at the moment! Also, Kira and Nicol have FINALLY kissed, I was so giddy when I wrote that scene you have no idea. Dearka and Miriallia are a bit more slow going, but they've gotten a major kick with Mir's comments in the office. It's safe to say Dearka sees something in her now.**_

 _ **Athrun will be joining the party next chapter, have no fear, along with Waltfeld and Kira' new unit, which will include another familiar face from those who have watched Destiny!**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: (reading Solid Shark's 'Birds of a Feather' again) It's tempting...so tempting...nope, Pandora's box, Wanda. You have to finish something before you start another idea.**_

 _ **Athrun: I'm amazed you have the mental capacity for all this, and your school work. Are you a coordinator without knowing it?**_

 ** _Me: Nope. Just impulsive. Very impulsive._**

 ** _Shinn: Someone who understands...that's so nice._**

 ** _Me: Hey, even I'm not as crazy as you. (Shinn pouts) Aww, don't worry. I love you precisely because of that. It sets you apart from other Gundam protagonists. (kisses him on the forehead) (Shinn blushes) Don't worry. I have something for you to do here, too._**

 ** _Athrun: That...is not a good sign._**

 ** _Me: Be nice, Athrun._**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED.**

 **Chapter 10: Arrivals**

" _The Eighth and Thirteenth Fleet have landed at the Onogoro port."_ The computerized voice of flight control echoed through the spaceport. Kira sat up straight in his seat in the waiting area, Nicol closed his music binder, and Dearka blinked awake from his nap. " _Clearing the runway...Renegade, stand by...Eternal, stand by..."_ Kira's hands went to the collar of his uniform for a moment, all his nerves acting up at once. Lord Uzumi and Cagalli both stood up.

"You said Mr Waltfeld was coming in on the Eternal, right Kira?" Cagalli said, sounding a little nervous. The last time she had met Waltfeld, it had been in Africa...it was partly thanks to him, and later Kira, that she got some much needed perspective about the world and the war overrunning it. She had thought the man was dead...and now he was coming here.

"Y-Yeah. So's my team, apparently..." Kira swallowed slightly as he got up.

Cagalli noticed and lay a friendly hand on his shoulders. "You'll be fine, Kira. Just be yourself, and you'll make a good impression."

 _I hope so...but...that's not all I'm worried about..._ Kira didn't say that aloud. Nicol knew, however, could see the look in his eyes. The pianist lightly touched his arm in a gesture of support, earning a grateful smile from his pseudo-boyfriend. Kira's thoughts weren't just on his team. No, his mind was on a boy with blue hair, a boy he'd been separated from for far too long... Cagalli gave them an odd look, but dismissed it as friendly support...while Dearka smirked, making the pair extra nervous.

" _The Renegade is landing."_ Flight control announced. " _Landing crew, stand by."_

"That will be the Chairman and the Council," Kira said.

"Mom and dad," Nicol contributed, bouncing slightly on his heels.

"Hm. Let's not keep him waiting." Lord Uzumi remarked, striding towards the gate to the flight deck. Cagalli and the three Gundam Pilots exchanged a quick, mutual nod before hurrying after him.

It was late evening, and Orb had experienced more air traffic in the last twenty four hours than it had in its entire history before hand. True ZAFT was docking in virtually every air and space port with enough runway space; hotels swelled to bursting and tent camps were set up in parks and in mansion backyards (much to the protest of Yunna Serian – which went blithely ignored). The Sixth and Seventh fleet were the first to have made it; since they were largely staffed by first generation coordinators, many had family members or distant relatives in Orb or other coordinator friendly neutral nations. The Sixth Fleet's Captain, Heidi Jones, had a coordinator mother and a natural father; she had been the first approached by Siegel Clyne and the first to pledge her support. The Seventh Fleet was Captained by Felicity Macross; while she was a full blooded coordinator, learning about the NJC had destroyed her loyalty to Zala's reign – her brothers had been on Junius Seven, and she saw the use of nuclear energy in GENISIS as a betrayal. The Eighth and Thirteenth Fleet were a somewhat different story – they were infamous among the PLANTs for being willing to fire on fellow ZAFT soldiers when they crossed a line or committed war crimes. Their Captains, Jason Campbell and Tristan Jackson, were two of the oldest living ZAFT veterans, and something of old relics as Zala liked to call them – stubborn, honourable and merciless towards enemies.

Kira had only met Captain Heidi in person, though he'd heard Tristan speaking over a communicator and apparently Jason had opened the airlocks for him when he escaped with the Freedom. Heidi was a sunny, big sisterly sort of individual who turned scary the moment she sat in the Captain's seat. Felicity he had heard about by reputation; the Ice Queen of ZAFT some called her. They said the only sign Marcross had any warm feelings was in the way she treated her crew and soldiers (unless they turned traitor, or disobeyed her.), whom she cared for and ensured they received the best medical care, supplies and thought out missions.

Likely she, Campbell and Jackson had already met with Uzumi Athha; Heidi had been directly escorting both _Renegade_ and _Eternal_ so her ships were sitting off to the side in this particular port.

Kira, Nicol, Dearka, Cagalli, Uzumi and Kisaka all stepped out into the open space of the landing zone, cool winds whipping against them as the large, white painted _Eternal Class_ ship landed and began moving off to the side. Kira looked up; hovering above it was a dark pink warship, its colours matching the beautiful late evening sky. It didn't look like much of a fighter, but the colour scheme was likely thanks to Lacus. Apparently she decided she would rather be on board the _Eternal's_ deck during the assaults, to keep up morale.

Dearka let out a low whistle. "Nice ride." He commented, nodding towards the _Renegade._ "Looks pretty non-threatening, for something called Renegade though – don't you think?"

"It wasn't really supposed to," Kira tried to explain, as the door to the ship opened, admitting Siegel Clyne first. "It's the command ship, yes, but it's supposed to act as a symbol of hope, and eventually, peace." The nearby Orb soldiers saluted, which the older man returned with a friendly smile before gesturing for them to be at ease. Behind him was a tall, dark skinned woman with long blonde hair, dressed in a white commander's outfit. And directly behind her was a furtive looking Yuri Amalfi, holding his wife's arm as they stepped down on the planet for the first time. Estelle looked overwhelmed, like she was trying to take in all of Earth at once.

Nicol gasped happily, before starting to sprint towards his parents, overtaking Uzumi who looked on with a pleased smile. "Mom! Dad!"

Estelle spun around, " _Nicol!_ " Yuri gasped as she pulled her arm free and shouldered her way past two armed guards to reach her son; Nicol tackled her at the halfway point and she lifted him off his feet, surprising given her petite frame. She kissed his forehead and sobbed happily, saying repeatedly, "My son, my _boy,_ there you are! Oh, thank god! Thank the lord!" Yuri caught up with them a moment later, wrapping his arms around both of them, tears of his own gathering in his eyes. Nicol released his mother for a moment and hugged his father in turn, pressing his head against Yuri's shoulder. The older man trembled with relief, muttering his gratitude in Japanese.

Kira paused at about the halfway point, smiling happily at the heartwarming scene. Siegel and Uzumi greeted each other and started talking, though each had one eye on the family even then.

Dearka, meanwhile, looked a little nervous. It was such a marked difference from his usual casual/lack of fear that it softened his face, made him look a little younger. So instead the blonde woman, Diana Elsman, walked over to him. She sized him up for a moment, raised an eyebrow and asked, "What is it? Too much of a tough guy to give your poor bereft mother a hug?"

"Y-You didn't really look..." Dearka started lamely, before Diana rolled her eyes, grabbed her son by the shoulders and pulled him into her arms. Deciding that pretenses could go to hell for once, Dearka returned her embrace and said, "It's great to see you, mom."

"And I'm glad to see _you_. That Missing In Action report I was given...I couldn't eat or sleep for three days after I got it." Diana sighed and ruffled his hair, with an affectionate, if slightly sad, smile. "You're going to be the death of me, _Dios."_

"Sorry." Dearka responded sincerely. Mother and son stood there for a moment before letting go. Dearka looked around and asked, with visible uncertainty, "I... was a little surprised to hear you were coming. Is...dad...?"

Diana's eyes shadowed, and she shook her head. "No. I couldn't convince him. He said he'll never forgive the Earth for killing Laura."

Dearka's expression tightened. "Azreal and Blue Cosmos killed Laura. Not Earth." He looked over his shoulder, back towards the air/space port. Miriallia Haw was standing in the open doorway, watching the new arrivals with curiosity and awe. "Naturals...they aren't all bad. Some of them hate him as much as we do..."

Diana followed his gaze, more than a little curious, and caught sight of her too. Dearka seemed to realize this, because he quickly turned back around and said, "Do you know where Yzak is?"

His mother blinked, and shook her head. "He's not with us, no, though that might not be entirely be his fault. We were in the process of leaving when he and some of the earth based troops were given a recall." Dearka sighed heavily, prompting her to put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't despair, _Dios_. Your friend is a hothead, but he isn't a fool...and I don't think he buys his mother's whole philosophy."

" _Renegade is secure. Eternal, begin descent sequence."_ The computer voice declared.

"This should be interesting," Dearka said with a grin, darting across the tarmac. The Amalfis, Carver, the Athhas and Kira all headed for the right side, waiting for the final arrival. And for _once,_ Lacus was _not_ the star attraction.

"What's interesting?" Diana asked curiously.

"Zala and Yamato." _And Amalfi,_ Dearka added silently, trying not to laugh out loud. This scenario was both cute, (not that he'd admit as much out loud – he had a reputation to maintain) and a complete gold mine. "They're finally meeting again."

"And that's interesting because...?"

"Because, they're _Selina and_ _Dios,_ if Selina had been a boy as well," Dearka responded. Diana let out a noise of surprise, and watched the landing with renewed interest as the pair came to a halt next to Yuri, Estelle and Nicol.

"We're running into some housing issues, but I think that's because of how abrupt the landing was." Kira reported as he, Uzumi, Cagalli and Siegel watched the _Eternal_ come into Onogoro port. "The Shakaus said they're willing to lease out more of their apartments for the commanding officers, should the parliament building and barracks run low on space."

"Of course that's what Rondo Ghina said," Uzumi said, frowning. "I wonder what he'll be asking for once this is over."

"He can have money, or even an ear in the council, if his assistance gets us through this war." Siegel responded generously. "At this point, every hand is welcome."

"You're certain, Clyne? It was Ghina who arranged for the construction of the G-Weapons inside Heliopolis," Uzumi noted. He had only discovered this recently, and that had put him in a foul mood for most of the day. At least it had the upside of convincing Cagalli that he really hadn't known about the project.

"In that case, we should be grateful. They've served a tremendous purpose."

The Eternal came to a stop. Kira swallowed hard; his heart was pounding heavily and suddenly the urge to run hit him like cold water. The two gangplanks came down and the doors open, admitting first Andrew Waltfeld, Aisha, and Lacus. Directly behind them were an eclectic collection of six teenagers, all in elite red, three girls and three boys. At the front was a girl with brown hair and an orange haired boy. Behind the brunette female was a taller, energetic looking girl with purple hair, while behind her was a more nervous looking girl with light blue hair. For the boys, behind the orange haired leader was a boy who looked like him – probably, they were siblings. Finally at the back was a younger looking kid with slate grey hair.

Andrew walked up until he was about two arms lengths away from Kira and appraised him. There was a scar over his right eye, and his right limb from the elbow down was a prosthetic...but he looked no less powerful and intimidating than he had when Kira first met him. "Hey there youngster. Good to see you again."

Kira eyed his injuries with some guilt, "Y-Yeah...I wish it had been under better...well..." He gestured vaguely, indicating the older man's injuries.

Andrew laughed, dropping a hand on the younger boy's shoulder nearly hard enough to knock him over. "What, this? This was my own damn fault, Commander. I knew you had us beat, and I kept going. It taught me a lot."

"I told you he felt bad about it," Aisha said with a small smile. "Who would have thought the infamous Strike pilot, the Earth's Miracle Warrior, was such a sweetheart?"

"Who would have, indeed," Andy said with a grin, before snapping out, "Recruits! Front and centre!"

The six ran forward and came to a halt in a single file line. Cagalli gave Kira a slight encouraging shove, prompting him to shoot a quick scowl at her before walking out in front of them. "Commander Yamato, these are six of our best and brightest. Just graduated from the academy four months ago, but they've already shown great potential. Team Six, this is your new commander, Kira Yamato! My last comment as your superior officer is as follows – you stick with him, follow his orders, and try to keep him from getting himself nobly killed again."

Kira blushed lightly as the six chorused, "Yes sir!"

The purple haired girl stepped forward a bit – she was a bold one, you could see it in her blue eyes – and saluted. "Kira Yamato...it's amazing to finally meet you in person, sir!"

"Uh, thank you. I'm not any more amazing than anyone else fighting to end this war." Kira said humbly, before sweeping his gaze over them again. "Um, can I have your names?"

"Lunamaria Hawke!" The purple haired girl said. "Shiho Hahnenfuss." The brunette said; her voice reminded Kira of when he'd first met Cagalli. "Anew Cassandra," The bluenette finished shyly, her salute trembling a bit. The orange haired boy grinned before saying, "Heine Westenfluss...and my younger brother, Klaus." Other orange haired boy nodded. "Zane Arkham." The grey haired boy finished.

Kira nodded, taking a breath. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I, um, can't say when we'll start flying together, but I'm grateful for the back up." He paused, and eventually shot Andrew a panicked look that screamed, _'help me, what do I say!'_ The tiger chuckled before taking pity on him.

"Your mobile suits are being moved to the barracks close to Morganrate. There's not much more to do tonight, other than turning on the TV and seeing if the EA is making any noise after loosing Panema." He glanced at Kira. "Shall we go in?"

"Ah, of course. You're dismissed for now," Kira said, saluting.

Luna grinned and muttered to Shiho, "He's not so bad. I think he's actually a dork." Shiho rolled her eyes and retorted, "He's also our commander, Luna, act professional!" The six returned the salute and started walking towards the airport.

Andrew chuckled, then turned towards the Eternal. "Hey Zala!" He yelled, loudly and deliberately. "Are you going to hide in there all night?! Come and say hello!"

 _ ****~Athrun's POV~****_

Athrun hadn't been this terrified in his entire life.

He thought he'd been relatively calm even as the _Eternal_ descended, and he could just distantly make out the people waiting for them. He thought he'd been calm, even as Lunamaria eagerly commented that they had made it and the group started walking towards the door. But then the door had slid open, revealing Orb and the group of people waiting for him, and his completely froze in his tracks, leaving everyone else to walk ahead and meet their new commander...

Kira's voice floated from the outside...and hearing it in real time again causing Athrun to let out a gasp. It was just like he remembered; the same voice that had quietly assured him even as the _Aegis_ and _Strike_ were about to be reduced to scrap, the voice that had called out to him when they were hovering in Heliopolis airspace. The voice that had been filled with shock, panic, grief, confusion, pain, regret...happiness, surprise, and affection. All of it.

Could he face Kira? After...after what he'd nearly done? He wanted to, oh part of him wanted it so badly. But would that be right?

Andrew Waltfeld's voice seemed to do the trick. Athrun's heart won out over his uncertain conscience, and he walked the rest of the way down the stairs and out onto the tarmac.

The first person he really saw was Kira Yamato.

For the second time, Athrun felt his breath being stolen away. He had imagined, a few times, what Kira might look like in a ZAFT uniform – mostly idle dreams, since he knew the brunette disliked combat. But actually seeing Kira in red...well, it was incredible, putting any flight of imagination to shame. It seemed like the battle at the island hadn't given him any serious injuries – at least, none that could be seen with him dressed. His hair seemed a bit longer, too...the wind blew it around his face, framing those crystal violet eyes. Eyes wide as they stared back at him, thousands of emotions rushing through them...but no contempt. No anger. No sense of betrayal. Just...awe? Warmth? Uncertainty?

Athrun came to a stop when he was standing next to Waltfeld. Vaguely he was aware of the older man introducing him as the Justice pilot – purely out of protocol, most people here knew exactly who he was – it seemed to be coming from far away. All he could see was Kira. His Kira.

"Athrun." The other boy whispered. No trace of revulsion Athrun had half expected, had tried to brace himself for. It was...something...

"...Kira." This was the point where he should be apologizing, begging, anything, ignoring the fact that they had a considerable audience.

"You feeling descent sickness, Athrun? If you stood any stiller, you'd be a statue."

Athrun's eyes snapped over to Nicol, and his teasing smile. His first love was in perfect condition – well almost perfect, he was still slightly favouring his left leg – but he was alive and unharmed. All thanks to Kira. His gentle voice completely replaced the memory of those awful, desperate cries - _"Athrun, run!_ " - instead he looked like he was making a joke, something Athrun would have expected more of Dearka.

Nicol apparently decided to take pity on him, because he walked forward and put a hand on Athrun's shoulder. "Athrun. Anyone home?"

Athrun blinked a few times, before sliding one arm around Nicol's shoulders and giving him a quick hug. "Nicol...it's good to see you." It was more than good – it was wonderful – but his throat was dry and it was hard to say anything at the moment.

That seemed to bring Kira out of his trance as well; he walked over and saluted with a small, playful smile. "Glad you made it, Commander Zala."

 _Please, don't call me that,_ Athrun thought, though he understood why Kira was doing it. Acting natural. Professional. "I'm glad to be here...Commander Yamato." He found himself smiling all of a sudden. It was so good to call Kira that. His rank in ZAFT, his rank alongside _Athrun's_ , the rank in the organization they _shared_. They were _finally_ side by side again.

"Nice to see you too," Dearka said dryly, finally cutting into the scene. Both Kira and Nicol shot him slightly nervous looks, which Athrun didn't quite get. "Or am I chopped liver?"

Athrun burst out laughing – he couldn't help himself. Once he could speak coherently again, a few seconds later, he managed, "No, no...hardly. Hello, Dearka. You haven't changed a bit."

"Well, _yeah –_ you last saw me a month and a week ago." Dearka rolled his eyes, and there was an almost predatory gleam in them. "Hey, how long are we gonna stand on ceremony out here? The wind's getting cold."

"...Seriously? You call this cold?" Cagalli asked in disbelief, but Estelle giggled and started walking in, which in turn lead the other adults, and finally the Gundam Pilots, to do the same.

 ****~Orb, Parliament House – Lower Floors~****

Uzumi, Siegel and the council walked ahead, speaking about Panama and the near future. Andrew and Aisha headed off when the group reached the elevators, rushing the doors to keep up with Murrue and Mu, who had been heading to the upper floors. Dearka then split off, saying something about grabbing an evening snack at a nearby buffet.

Nicol paused at the elevators and hit the 'going up' button, before turning and looking between Athrun and Kira. "I'm going to go put this away in my room," He tilted the music book he was holding. "I won't be long."

"Good. Don't think I'm not working up to yell at you, for before." Athrun said in mock warning, before hesitating – but Kira just grinned and nodded in understanding, a strange gleam in his eyes. "We have a lot to discuss."

"I know," Nicol chuckled. "But I think you and Kira have much more. Don't worry; we'll catch up in a little." He then took the first elevator and vanished inside.

That left the pair standing alone for a moment, looking at each other, the only noise being from other animated discussions in the halls. Athrun paused, unnerved once again, and began to say something when Kira walked forward and hit the 'up' button as well.

"My, uh, my room's on the fourteenth floor." Kira explained, before balking as Athrun's eyes widened, "I mean, where's I'm staying. Y-you know."

"R-Right."

The elevator door chimed, and Kira walked inside. Athrun followed after another moment of hesitation; the violent, rapid pounding of his heart had returned with a vengeance. Kira hit the button and the doors slid closed behind them...leaving them properly alone with each other for the first time in a long time. Which is why it was odd – and rather convenient – that, three floors later, the elevator suddenly shuddered to a halt and went into inspection mode.

"What the...?" Kira wondered, hitting the speaker. "What's going on?"

"Technical malfunction," came the very last voice the brunette wanted to hear at the moment. "Nothing serious."

"Dearka?" _Oh no_. "What are you doing in the...?"

"I'll go get someone, Yamato, just sit tight." And the audio cut out.

Leaving the two boys standing together, suddenly very aware of how they were the only two people in a small, enclosed space.

"What is he up to...?" Kira asked nervously – and somewhat redundantly, he knew _exactly_ what had just happened, and why – turning towards Athrun. The blue haired boy shrugged, looking away, anywhere but at Kira. "Well, let's hope it doesn't last...there's gotta be someone nearby..." The brunette realized he was rambling, and cut himself off. The two remained in crushing silence for a moment; Athrun stared at Kira, who was desperately rooting around for something to talk about other than the massive elephant in the room. _Well...what else is there to talk about? There's no one listening...except maybe Dearka_ , _okay that might be a problem...but I've waited long enough, I_ want _to talk to him...God, where should I even start? So much has happened..._

"You're alive."

Athrun broke the silence...his voice cracked a bit on the words...Kira turned fully towards him, those green eyes were full of an emotion he now recognized...he had seen it in his dream, his fantasy, all those nights ago. "I didn't...I hadn't...you're _alive_."

Kira nodded and smiled warmly. Athrun shuddered in response, eyes widening slightly. "Yeah. I'm still here. And I plan to stay that way."

Tears formed in Athrun's eyes. "Oh, _Kira_."

It happened so quickly. The blue haired boy shot across the small distance between them and threw himself against Kira, knocking him into the wall. Athrun's lips crushed his, full of frantic and mad, desperate passion; like he would die if separated from the other boy for another second longer. For the second time in twenty four hours, Kira's heart seemed to come to a complete halt before blasting along at a pace that would make machine guns weep with envy. Athrun pushed him further against the wall, removing any space between their bodies, his tongue ran along Kira's teeth until the youth gasped and opened his mouth, letting him in...and all of a sudden it was over. Athrun released him and pulled back, face flushed, guilt and anguish written all over his face. It tore at Kira, he would _not_ see Athrun like that anymore.

"Kira, I'm _so sor-_ "

Athrun didn't even get past the first sentence of his lengthy, grief riddled apology before Kira slid one hand around his neck, tangling his fingers in his hair, and violently pulled him right back into another kiss. Wrapping his other arm around Athrun's waist, Kira pulled him in and leaned back against the wall, engulfing his Justice's lips with his own and sharing the affection he'd kept bottled up for nearly a year now. He felt a very carnal reaction in the other boy, who had otherwise gone utterly slack in his embrace, and laughed slightly against his lips. Kira pushed his tongue into Athrun's mouth, revealing in his taste, and realizing something...ever since Heliopolis, where he had seen Athrun with the knife, he had felt like there was a hole in his heart, something that couldn't be replaced as long as the other boy was gone. That pain had been alleviated when he kissed Nicol...and now he had Athrun _back_ , and the pain was _completely gone_. He was utterly and completely _happy_.

Kira pulled back for air, staring straight into Athrun's wide eyes. "I don't want you to be sorry," he panted, grinning. "I want you to kiss me."

Then he lunged in and kissed him again, this time pulling him down onto the floor so he was sitting against the wall with Athrun in his lap. A few seconds in, and Athrun finally reacted – he dug his fingers into Kira's back, hard enough to leave scratches if it weren't for his coat, kissing back and leaning further into their embrace. They sort of fought with each other for a moment, pushing and pulling to stay closer, when Athrun broke away for air again. "But..." The blue haired boy gasped out, eyes wide and tears streaking down from them. "But I..."

"I don't care..." Kira whispered, gently brushing his fingers across Athrun's cheeks. "I don't care. I've missed you so much. All I've wanted was you back. And here you are." He leaned forward and kissed his lips a fourth time, before lightly biting his lower lip – as Nicol liked doing to him.

The green haired pianist had quickly found out that doing so drove Kira wild, and given the soft whimper Athrun let out, it was something else they shared.

"I...I wanted you back, too..." Athrun whispered. Kira lightly kissed his cheek before starting to trail down towards his neck. "Ahhh...K-Kira..." He shut his eyes. "Kira...I _hurt_ you..."

"And I hurt you..." Kira murmured, his hands calmly going to the collar of Athrun's red coat as he undid it, exposing his neck. "Athrun, I can only imagine how much it hurt when I refused to come with you, over and over...when I thought about it, the pain I felt, it was incredible..." He sighed heavily. "I felt awful every time..." Pulling the coat down, just to the shoulders, Kira nuzzled the other boy's neck for a few seconds before kissing it – lightly at first, but as he determined where Athrun was most sensitive, he became fiercer.

"Ah...ahhh." Athrun's grip on his shoulders tightened until it became painful, which only excited Kira more. "But you had to...those civilians..."

"Yeah. I know." Kira drew his tongue along Athrun's collar; his resulting shudders echoed across his lover's body. "It wasn't easy for me, Athrun...choosing between the man I loved and a couple dozen strangers..."

Athrun seemed to gain some strength at that...he released Kira's shoulders and took his face in his hands, forcing the other boy to look him in the eyes. "And that's _you_ ," He whispered. "That's _my_ Kira. You're so kind. So selfless. It's what drew me to you, even when I was too young to know what love meant. And yet I hadn't...I thought you were naive and letting those people use you."

"How were you supposed to know that Miss Murrue and Mu and the crew weren't like the rest of the Alliance? I _did_ get guns pointed at me when I first acknowledged I was a coordinator." Kira asked, leaning forward so his forehead was touching Athrun's. "You weren't psychic, and I _was_ naive, at least somewhat. I thought that, eventually, people would just get tired of war. I thought I wouldn't have to fight to protect the people I love."

Athrun let out a shaky breath. "Oh Kira..." He leaned in and kissed Kira hard on the lips, taking control again, shifting his weight slightly so he pressed closer against Kira's chest. Kira let his fingers rush through Athrun's hair, marvelling at how soft it felt. "...the island..."

"You're _forgiven_ , Athrun." Kira smiled softly, running his fingers down Athrun's back as he said so. "And I'll keep kissing you until you believe it." He added, in a low seductive voice he would have hardly recognized as his own...grinning at the small physical reactions it elicited.

Athrun shook his head, so Kira pulled him into another rough kiss for emphasis, lazily dropping one hand to his thigh while doing so. Athrun moaned deeply, shifting again in Kira's lap. "I don't understand..." he whispered. "...Why..."

Kira rolled his eyes. "Because I'm _in love with you_. You _dunce._ "

The blue haired boy froze again, for a few seconds, as the words reached him and sank in...until Athrun laughed at long last, eyes sparkling. "W-Wow...I r-really am..." He ran his fingers through Kira's hair. "I really am an idiot...Kira... _I love you too._ " The pair met half way and shared a quick, gentle kiss. Athrun then whispered, "I've loved you since I was a child..."

"And that's why it happened..." Kira murmured, one hand back in Athrun's hair. "You thought I had betrayed you in the worst way possible...murdering someone you cared about..."

"Nicol..." Athrun whispered, thinking at last about his other love.

To his shock, Kira had a very understanding look in his eyes. "Yeah, Nicol." His smile was crooked and very sincere. "You thought I'd killed Nicol...I'd do anything to avenge him, too. No matter what or who was thrown at me."

Athrun blinked a few times, his eyes examining Kira's face. "Y-You..." His breath was short and heavy, and his heart quickened at what his lover was implying. "Wait...then you...?"

Kira nodded, a look of deep fondness in his eyes. "I knew there was something...the moment I removed his helmet. And the first time we talked, after he regained consciousness...there was such a kindness, such a softness...that's why you cared about him...and it's why _I_ care about him, too."

Athrun's eyes widened, and he found himself...smiling? "Y-You...Kira, then..."

"I knew I had feelings for you after I rescued him..." Kira's eyes sparked. "Did he make you realize who you wanted in your life, too?"

Athrun nodded, dazed. "Yeah...he was always there at the academy. Helping me through my grief, helping me focus, keeping me centered...I, I kept you somewhere in my heart, always, but I still..."

"He told me," Kira acknowledged, causing Athrun's eyes to widen.

" _He_ told you?" Athrun echoed. "He wasn't...angry? Upset?"

"More annoyed that you didn't say as much once we were in the Gundams...in fact...he showed me this..." Kira leaned forward, kissed Athrun, lightly biting his lip again as he did so, before leaning back and letting the thought sink in. "You're _adorable_ when you blush like that, Athrun," He said as his lover flushed as dark as his uniform.

"A-Are you...then he...and we...?"

The elevator chose that moment to come back to life.

Downstairs in the control room, Dearka got out of the chair he'd been leaning in, boots on the table, watching the affair with a grin, and amusedly stated, "You're welcome!"

Miriallia Haw shook her head slowly. "I can't believe you actually did that..."

The blonde winked at her, "Well, you know what they say...all's fair in love and war, right?"

The natural felt her chest grow hot and she quickly shot back, "You didn't have to stick around and watch them, you know!"

"And neither did you," he pointed out, leaning against the door, his violet eyes alight with amusement. "I didn't know you were into that, Miriallia."

"I wasn't -! S-Shut up, Dearka!" She sputtered, flustered, which prompted another laugh from him. Miriallia's face heat up and her heart skipped; he had a very deep, attractive voice. _My god._ Her mind and body were betraying her resolve.

"I think I really will get a drink, at least." Dearka said thoughtfully, staring to head out the door before nonchalantly adding, "You want anything? The bar closes in an hour."

"Ah-" Miriallia's first instinct was to shoot him down, to glare at him for even suggesting it...but he seemed oddly sincere; following up, erm, 'helping' Kira like that...maybe there was something more to him than cruel sarcasm and the Buster. "Coke," She decided. "But you're paying."

His back was to her, so she missed the small, relieved smile that crossed his face. "Understood."

 _ ****~Kira's Room~****_

Nicol was sitting on the couch, watching the TV, when Kira and Athrun entered about ten minutes later. He smiled for a second before his expression became somewhat grim; he hit pause and said, "Nice timing. The Earth Alliance has lost Panama."

Kira's dreamy expression came back down to earth at that. "I admit that's what I was expecting." Athrun grimaced. The pair then walked over and sat down on the couch, prompting Nicol to turn the TV back on. "Do they know about Orb joining with True ZAFT?"

"If they don't now, they'll know very soon." Nicol responded. "The mass landing of the fleet won't go unnoticed by the rest of the world."

"We're going to get an angry letter," Kira predicted, "And I _don't_ think I want to be in the room when Lord Uzumi reads it. Hopefully Chairman Clyne will keep him somewhat calm."

"That feels like an understatement." Nicol said, nodding in agreement. "Though I imagine Diana or dad will loose it first." It took a lot to get mild mannered Yuri Amalfi up in arms; his temperament was similar to his son's. However, the EA was a special case. "So, you've met your team!"

Kira let out a shaky breath, "Yes, I did. I was trying to _forget_ about that little terrifying fact, Nicol."

"Can't be helped. You'll be running drills with them tomorrow. What's your impression?"

"Uh..." Kira blinked a few times. "Henie and his brother were fairly professional...Shiho and Lunamaria looked like they were raring to go places."

"I met Henie at the academy." Athrun recalled. "He's a good man. And if Klaus is much like him, then I trust them to watch your back."

"Shiho, though! I was surprised to see her." Nicol said in surprise. "She's Yzak's girlfriend." They weren't officially dating – mostly thanks to Yzak's lack of romantic social skills – but everyone could see the attraction between the pair...everyone except the silver berserker himself, who was _convinced_ he was actually keeping his feelings to himself.

Kira paled dramatically. "His _girlfriend_? Oh man...oh god...can I defer fighting the Duel to you or Dearka when we run into him next? Please?!"

Athrun and Nicol both laughed in response; Kira sulked. "Traitors," He grumbled.

The news program ended, so Nicol shut off the TV. "You want a first shot at the shower, Kira? You've been running around Orb all day."

Kira understood and nodded. "Yeah, now that you mention it, I could definitely use one."

"Don't hog all the hot water," Nicol said mock warning. Kira snickered before vanishing into the next room. A few minutes later, the soft droning of the shower head broke the silence.

Athrun smiled for a moment...before turning towards Nicol. The green haired boy tried looking innocent. "Athrun?"

The blue haired boy shook his head, before leaning over and kissing Nicol, wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders. Breaking away a few seconds later, he muttered, "What am I going to do with you? Do you have any goddamn idea how I felt when I thought you died saving me? I survived...but I felt utterly dead inside."

"I can only imagine." Nicol responded quietly. "I'm sorry; I really am. But please...don't _ever_ ask me not to save you. You're too important to me, Athrun."

Athrun hugged the smaller boy against his chest, pressing his lips against Nicol's forehead as he did so. "And so are you. I want you to be more careful, Nicol. If it had been anyone other than Kira..." His voice trailed off. He didn't need to say it.

They sat in silence for a moment. "Are you sure you aren't angry at me?" Athrun asked eventually. "About...about Kira?"

Nicol chuckled softly. "No, not at all. It's hard to be angry at someone you love. Am I angry that you didn't tell me? Well, a little. I could have helped you two stay in contact." He smiled. "Besides...getting to know Kira, I completely understand. I've kissed him too, you know."

"Kira...might have mentioned that," Athrun stuttered eventually. "I...I can't deny I'm tempted to ask something extremely selfish of you two..."

"That we share you?" Nicol's eyes were gleaming teasingly. "I'm not a jealous man, Athrun, and even _my_ selflessness has limits. Especially when you involve someone like Kira." He then paused in order to let Athrun decide what _that_ might mean. Sure enough, the blue haired boy flushed a dark shade of red after a moment of thought, again.

"You two...you're going to be the end of my sanity." Athrun managed eventually.

"Probably." Nicol agreed amiably. "I'm content with that." The green haired boy leaned against his boyfriend's shoulder. "They're going to come for Orb."

"We have the strength to push them back," Kira's voice floated from the showers. "If it had been Orb alone, it would have been a loss no matter what. But not like this." He paused. "If all goes according to the plan, after a few hits they'll give up and head back to Victoria."

"Won't they get a mass driver either way then?" Athrun asked in concern.

"That I don't think we can stop." Nicol responded grimly. "But we can stop them from taking Orb."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Our boys are all together, just in time for the battle for Orb to be on the horizon! With True ZAFT at their backs, will Orb be able to drive away the bigots and monsters coming to their door? As tempted as I am to quote Pacific Rim, I'll leave that to your imagination - until next time! So, that's Kira's team - I modified Meryrin Hawke's age a bit, so she and Lunamaria were available to use in story - they're JUST fresh out of the academy, so they weren't involved with the war before this, but they were assigned to the Eighth fleet so they followed the defection. Don't worry about Yzak either, he'll be showing up just like before - I wouldn't end this story before I had a chance to introduce him to a certain Asuka.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	11. Chapter 11

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: (hits head against table) Hate trying to write fight scenes...might as well split the chapter up, so there's no mood whiplash...**_

 _ **Rau le Creuset: So you keep insisting. Is that your excuse? How very human of you.**_

 _ **Me: (swats at him) Ah, shaddup, monologuer - that's what you are, you're Gundam Seed's champion monologuer. Each Gundam series has one...cept for Wing, which has everyone act as a monologuer. That show would be even better if they cut half of those out and let the situations speak for themselves. Don't have to beat me over the head with the fact 'war is BAD!' when I've already seen Quatre go nuts and nearly kill his best friend/maybe love interest.**_

 _ **Rau le Creuset: Maybe it's because you have trouble comprehending it.**_

 _ **Me: (glares at him) I will mute you - that's a promise. God knows you rattled on long enough in canon!**_

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny/any of its variants.** __

 **Chapter 11: Battle for Orb part 1**

Athrun woke slowly...he was comfortable in a way he hadn't felt in a long time. There were a pair of arms wrapped around him, holding him like something precious. The massive, soft mattress he was lying on creaked slightly as his eyes fluttered open...music was coming from the other room...his lips parted as he listened to it. It was a beautiful symphony, incomplete sounding but still awe inspiring in its complexity. "Nicol...?" He murmured, raising his head slightly.

The door slid open, revealing his green haired boyfriend holding a laptop in one hand. He was dressed in loose bed clothes and looked like he'd been awake for a little while...Athrun's hand on the bed on his left felt a warmth, where the other boy had been lying. "Did I wake you two?" He asked softly.

Athrun blinked and glanced to his right...his partner was a shirtless Kira, asleep with a passive sweet smile on his face. It was his arms around Athrun, like he was afraid something would steal his hard won beloved away after they'd finally reunited. Warmth spread through Athrun's chest, soft and welcome and intoxicating. "No. I was already waking up. Kira's sleeping soundly...he only wakes to alarm clocks and cold water." That admission drew a chuckle from Nicol, who had always been an early riser. Athrun smiled before nodding to the laptop; prompting Nicol to turn it off so as not to wake their other lover. "Is that new music of yours?"

"Yeah. It's a requiem and rebirth." Nicol set the machine down on the side table and sat down, swinging his legs onto the bed. "I was inspired by Miriallia back on the Archangel..." he hesitated; he still hadn't told Athrun about Tolle Koegn. He wasn't sure how. "...and Flay, later on. I wanted something that captured all the complexities and tragedies of this conflict..."

"It sounds amazing."

"Don't say that yet...it still isn't done. The program I'm using allows me to listen to what I have so far...and there are some changes I want to make. But I'm pleased with the beginning, which is what you were just listening to."

"Just the beginning, huh..." Athrun blinked, recalling the cantor of the opening piano sonata. "Reminds me a little of the opening from the Firebird suite."

Nicol grinned. "I can't believe you remember that...it's been ages since I got you to listen to it."

"Who said I never listened to classical on my own?" Athrun responded, acting wounded. "I can't listen to Lacus's music all the time."

"Yeah, you're probably one of five people native to the PLANTs who would actually say that..." Nicol remarked, amused. Athrun chuckled in agreement, before eyeing the other boy curiously.

"Miriallia and Flay inspired you, huh. Should I be jealous?"

Nicol rolled his eyes and turned over, putting one hand next to Athrun's head. "I don't think you're in any position to say things like that, Zala...considering the contents of your bed." He nodded significantly towards Kira.

Athrun couldn't help a grin. "I'm the luckiest man alive." He whispered. "It might be more than I deserve..."

Nicol scowled slightly. "Athrun...what did we _both_ end up telling you last night about saying that kind of crap?" They ended up having a...discussion, before falling asleep last night (probably the only reason it hadn't become more _animated_ was the relatively new waters of this new 'arrangement') about that. Mainly, that it wasn't true, and listening to him degrade himself upset them both...so he'd just have to be _persuaded_ out of that mindset.

The blue haired pilot had the nerve to smirk at him. "Are you going to punish me, _koishii?_ "

Nicol scoffed, before placing his hands on Athrun's shoulders – somewhat carefully, so as not to jostle the still sleeping Kira – pushing him down into the mattress. "It doesn't have the same effect when you're asking for it," He pointed out mock seriously.

"And here I was getting my hopes up..." Athrun pouted. "I need a new strategy."

"You sneaky little..." Nicol's admonishment was half hearted; he leaned over and kissed Athrun soundly, cutting off the older boy's snickers. In turn Athrun wrapped his free arm around Nicol and gently pulled him closer. The last time they had been this intimate, it had been just after the battle with the Eighth Fleet in orbit. Without such a massive stress trigger involved, this felt less urgent and in many ways more welcome.

Athrun unbuttoned Nicol's shirt and gently traced his fingers over his chest as they kissed...after a few seconds, they came to a stop at the long scar on his left side. One of the wounds he had received after the Blitz was damaged. Athrun brushed his fingers across the length of the scar, his eyes closing slightly _._ Nicol felt it and broke their deep kiss to look sternly at him. "That's not your fault," He murmured. "Don't even start thinking it."

To his relief, Athrun managed to smile. "Can't get away with anything, can I..."

Nicol kissed him again, and Athrun shifted enough in response that he jarred Kira's arms, causing him to stir. The other boy's violet eyes blinked open, wondering where he was for a moment, before his vision came into focus and he took in his two friends. A small smile crossed his lips at the sight. "Mmmph...morning already?"

"Sorry," Nicol said contritely, releasing Athrun and sliding back onto the right side of the bed. "You looked so peaceful, Kira. Didn't want to wake you."

"It's fine...it's way better than an alarm clock," Kira said dreamily, prompting both Nicol and Athrun to blush slightly. He batted his eyes at the pair before murmuring, "Are you always going to wake me like this? I'd like that."

"Hah. Only when we feel like spoiling you," Athrun responded affectionately, placing one hand on Kira's chest. The brunette looked adoringly at him, muttering, 'tease'. Athrun smirked in response and continued, "How else am I going to have fun, if I'm not annoying you with a new alarm system?"

Kira's eyes narrowed. "Oh, I can think of a few things..." He said, before trailing off and blushing at the surprised-then-borderline-predatory gleam in Athrun's eyes. "My _god_ , did I just say that out loud?" He stammered; gasping as Athrun's hand wandered down to his stomach, lightly tracing circles on him as it moved. "W-Wha..."

"I like the sound of that," His bluenette lover responded mischievously.

"You've been holding this in for a while, haven't you Athrun?" Nicol asked with a small smirk. "Usually I have to get you drunk to get you this frisky."

Athrun blushed, momentarily distracted from his prize, and protested, "Nick!" Kira's eyes widened momentarily, then he chuckled, silently filing away that little fact for later use – maybe for one of the many parties when this war was over.

"Tell me I'm wrong!" Nicol responded with a laugh. "Kira, you should have seen it – we got three rounds on the house when we graduated with red coat status from the academy. A couple glasses in and Athrun was wasted; though to be fair, so was Yzak – Dearka was the only one relatively in his own mind, and he still thought it was a good idea to hack the sound system and turn on some old rock music." He grinned at the memory. "About the halfway point Athrun had me pinned to the wall, quoting from a soap opera. It was pretty wild...especially once he got it in his head to drag me off to the dorms."

"It's a miracle we weren't caught," Athrun admitted, flushed. Despite his attempts to be professional and/or chivalrous, too much alcohol caused him to adopt tendencies scarily similar to Dearka; a natural charmer.

Kira's imagination was wildly filling in the blanks; if he hadn't felt hot before, he did now. "That sounds exciting." He said, swallowing.

Nicol grinned, the decision solidifying in his mind. He got up, walked around the bed and gave Kira a kiss. The brunette moaned softly before looking up at his other boyfriend with wide eyes. "I'm going to go have a shower," the pianist announced, before winking at the pair. "You two have fun...just remember that the Council's expecting us at noon." With that, he stepped out of the room, grabbing a change of clothes as he went.

There was a short, soft pause...then Athrun turned over and straddled Kira, cupping his face in his hands. "So," the boy whispered to his star crossed partner, "do you want to see heaven?"

 _ ****~Several Hours Later~****_

"'By giving military and political support to a ZAFT organization, including the landing of troops and provisions, the Orb Union has abandoned its inherit responsibilities as a nation of earth. In light of this, the Earth Alliance demands the following concessions from the Orb Union. First, an immediate renunciation of alliance with this 'True ZAFT' entity and the PLANTs. Second, the resignation of the Union's current government. Third, the disarmament and subsequent demobilization of it's armed forces'." Yuri Amalfi quoted from the manifesto, before placing it on the table in the conference room and taking a deep, steadying breath. Nicol stepped over to his side and placed a concerned hand on his shoulder. "Well...I can't say I was expecting anything less."

Diana Elsman didn't bother to conceal her contempt. "Of all the absurd nonsense those bastards could have come up with...after the announcement of our true intentions, they'd have to be patently ignorant to come up with this."

Uzumi's lip curled; he was visibly struggling to keep his anger under control. "So they _demand_ it come to war. Damn Murata and his ilk! Did he truly expect us to compromise our ideals to become his attack dogs?"

"I'm inclined to think he's hoping we'll refuse," Rondo Ghina Sahaku said idly, his eyes narrow. "Azreal finds violence appealing, and detests our immigration policy. I think he would have come knocking with a list like this even without our new allies in the equation."

Kira scowled at the remark; he knew it was probably true. He had upgraded to a white commander suit to fit his promotion; Athrun stood on his right, still in red, as his capacity as Kira's XO. They stood to the right of Murrue Ramius and Mu la Flaga, now a Captain and Commander respectively of the new Orb air/space force. Nicol was on the left, next to a (for once) serious looking Dearka – they had been inducted into Kira's unit (Athrun had pulled Dearka aside and warned him not to give Kira the kind of trouble he'd gotten himself. Dearka would have made a joke, but Athrun's death serious frown made him decide that discretion was the better part of valour) after some mapping of the forces. Cagalli was next to her father, full of righteous fury.

Captain Heidi Jones and Captain Felicity Marcross were standing on the other side of the room, Heidi scowling, Felicity impassive as ever. Heidi Jones was as tall as Murrue, and in some ways her visual opposite – silver blonde hair similar to Ezaila Joule (ironic, considering her famously low opinion of the other woman) sharp golden eyes, and darker skin – Heidi considered it a point of pride to call herself 'mixed race, twice'. She was dressed in a custom black and white uniform and held her cap in her left (dominant) hand. Felicity, meanwhile, was a shorter woman; Heidi had at least three inches on her. Her bronze hair was cut short not unlike Natarle, and her face and dark eyes were just as stern. Her skin was so pale it made her seem ghostly; it was part of the reason she was called 'the ghost of space' by the EA. Her custom uniform was black and gold and she listened to the absurd demands with only the slight trembling of her right hand betraying her stoicism.

Captain General Tristan Jackson and Jason Campbell, meanwhile, were standing on either side of Seigel Clyne. Tristan shared Diana's visible contempt towards the manifesto and the ones who had written it; despite being in his fifties he looked like he was still thirty five, a mess of brown hair turning silver framing his pale angular face and cool green eyes. He was wearing commander white; having been the first to do so before Rau le Creuset entered ZAFT. Jason, meanwhile, looked his age more – loosing two of his three children to the conflict had exhausted him, though he remained standing with determined purpose. His close cropped black hair was the only thing he shared with his last living child; a plucky young girl with a massive, raging crush on Lacus Clyne. He was dressed fully in black, and he cut a grim spectre compared to the others in the room.

"I think it goes without saying that we're going to ignore this," Rondo Mina Sahaku guessed. She was somewhat less sinister than her brother, and she loved her home country. She had no desire to kowtow to the EA or their Blue Cosmos masters.

"Of course," Uzumi said sternly. "That was never a question. Orb shall never negotiate with terrorists, and with Blue Cosmos controlling them, that is all that the Earth Alliance is."

Lacus nodded severely. To her right, her adoring aide Meer Campbell bounced on her heels and muttered, "Down with the EA!" She was wearing her black hair in a similar style to Lacus's.

Athrun had noticed that the songstress didn't seem to quite understand the attention Meer was giving her. Kira agreed and warned him not to leave the matter entirely in Dearka's hands.

"I know the manifesto says seventy two hours," Miriallia prefaced, before squeaking as everyone turned their attention to her. She had officially been given the job of managing the Archangel's CIC (Natarle's old post) so she was welcome in the meeting. It was something that made her nervous, despite encouragement from both Kira and Murrue. She was wearing standard Orb military uniform, much to her relief – she'd hated the tacky, form fitting pink of the EA equivalent. It drew too much attention to her sexuality. Though given the admiring looks a certain blonde pilot was shooting her whenever he thought she wasn't looking, perhaps this uniform simply did the job better. "but what if they invite themselves in before then?" She managed after a moment. "If this thing is just an extension of a trap, they might try to surprise us."

"We already have a perimeter set up at the border," Tristan said, his tone calm and reassuring while lacking any condescension. Some of the tension left Miriallia's shoulders almost instantly; he hadn't told her outright but the old Captain admired her and the other Heliopolis refugees for stepping up to the plate the way they had in this conflict. "It isn't reinforced, but it will give us a warning if they do attack early."

"They'll be after Kaguya first and foremost," Jason noted calmly. His voice was a deep baritone, strong and commanding. "Therefore the heaviest fighting will hit Onogoro island."

"The Ashtrays will be concentrated there, along with Commander Yamato and his unit. The _Eternal_ and _Odin's Lance_ will provide air support." Tristan offered. _Odin's Lance_ was his command ship; one of the biggest of the older classes. Old, but not obsolete described the man and his unit to a T. "The _Archangel_ and _Blizzard_ will be taking on the approaching sea and aircraft at the ocean border."

Jason bowed his hand and turned towards Murrue. "Captain Ramius? You find this acceptable?"

"Of course, sir." Murrue responded. "I'd be grateful for any assistance."

Jason snorted, a rare smile crossing his face. "Considering the stories I've heard about your ship, Captain, you may be the one assisting me."

"I, will take that as a compliment, Captain Campbell. You flatter us."

"It's not a matter of flattery, Miss – it's the simple fact that logically, you and your men should not have _survived_ your trek to and across Earth. Yet not only have you done so, but you have also _won_ all your engagements. This is your time, Miss Ramius; if you would show an old man the way, he would be grateful." Jason said this all with utmost seriousness, and there was a spark of admiration in his eyes. Meer looked mildly jealous to see it; she knew her father was a hard man to impress.

Murrue blushed slightly; it was high praise coming from one of the most weathered and experienced men in the system. "I'd be happy to, sir."

Uzumi politely cleared his throat and pointed at the map again. "Captain Jones, Captain Macross, you and your forces will take the east and the west. Keep one eye on the sky; I don't expect to see any of ZAFT joining the fight, but if they do, fighting on two fronts could back some of our forces into a corner."

"Understood, Lord Uzumi," Felicity said coolly. "None will get past us." Heidi added, clenching her fingers on her cap.

"Evacuating the citizens should be our first priority," Siegel said, his concern on that situation very audible. "Unfortunately, the land and sea routes are likely being cut off by the Earth Alliance. Does Onogoro still have underground bunkers?"

Uzumi closed his eyes. "There are some, yes, but they'll need to be cleared out, and there aren't enough to contain the entire civilian population of Orb. A country-wide evacuation under these circumstances hasn't been seen as a possibility for generations."

"I'll tell DeCosta, Aisha and the men to start emptying them," Andrew Waltfeld offered. "Even if they can't take everyone, it's better than nothing. Women and children take priority."

"Yes...of course. I leave it in your hands, Commander Waltfeld." Uzumi said with a nod. The Desert Tiger immediately pulled out his phone and started to speak with his protege.

 _ ****~Elsewhere~****_

"Shinn!"

"Mayu!"

"She'll be fine, kid!" The soldier promised the young man, pulling him away from the door of the cramped school bus. The girl tried to get off, to stay with her family, but was stopped by the driver closing the door on her. The ZAFT man was sympathetic but stern; there were a lot of people to wrangle and not enough transport or time."It's going to be fine! You're both going to the same place, but that bus has hit capacity! You'll just have to take the next one!"

Shinn Asuka swallowed hard, watching as the camo-coloured vehicle containing his beloved little sister started to drive away. Mayu was pounding on the window, crying out for him and her parents. Maybe she annoyed him and didn't want to share her video games and forced him to play with her stuffed animals, but he loved her a lot, and the stark realization that they were both in danger had awakened a number of instincts he'd never had a need for before. "Take care of her!" He yelled after the bus as it turned onto the already crowded roads, honking at the civilian cars. "Don't let anything happen to her!"

His mother sobbed and pulled him into a hug from behind; Shinn grabbed her arm and looked fearfully up at her. He'd never seen his parents cry or act upset; they always tried to project calm or happiness for the sake of their children.

"Come on, Shinn," His father said encouragingly, though he sounded like he was speaking around a lump in his throat. "There will be another bus in a moment; let's get you in line."

"Just me? But what about you?" Shinn asked. His father shook his head and started pulling his son through the throngs of people pushing and shoving and crying out, cramming the once tranquil sidewalk. They weren't the only family there – school children ranging from Shinn's age to little kids about four or five were being hustled from their homes to be taken to the shelters. Often their mothers were with them, but sometimes when there wasn't enough space the older women would give their spots up for others.

"I'm going to go and help at Morganrate," His father responded decisively. "They're undermanned, considering what's coming."

"Then take me with you!" Shinn protested. "I want to help to!"

"No, Shinn!" His father snapped, turning and placing both hands on the younger boy's shoulders. As typical for him, Shinn immediately opened his mouth to argue, but the man went on stridently, "I need you to be somewhere safe; I won't be of any use to anyone unless I'm sure you're going to make it out of this."

"I'm strong, dad." Shinn insisted, digging his heels into the ground and forcing them to stop for a moment. "I could do more, and I want to."

"Do this for me, Shinn!" His father responded sharply. The next bus showed up at that moment; Shinn's mother pushed him from behind and herded him towards the bus. "You have to live, you understand? If something happens to us, who will take care of Mayu if not you?!"

Shinn gulped as he considered that. A rush of anger spiked in his heart, clearing his mind. "I...I wouldn't let anything happen to her!"

His father managed a smile. "I know you won't! But you have to be alive to do that – so go!"

Shinn boarded the bus near the front, leaning against the window and staring into the sky. He imagined it full of Skygraspers and EA airships, here to destroy the only home he'd known...here to destroy him, his sister, his family – everything that mattered to him. His hands curled into fists, clenching deep enough to draw blood, and his teeth were set on edge. _Damn those racist monsters...! Do they really hate us that much?_ The cracking of the sound barrier caught his attention. Shinn looked up, out the window where many of the other kids were pointing and calling out in awe.

His breath hitched as he saw something magnificent...The Freedom, flying overhead. He'd seen footage of the magnificent machine fighting at Alaska, despite the EA's best attempt to suppress any images of it. He thought it looked like an angel, an avatar of protective strength. Following it was the Justice, the Blitzkrieg, Grand Buster, and several next generation ZAKUs of varying colours.

And all at once, Shinn knew where he wanted to be the minute he got out of this bunker.

 **End Chapter**

 _ **I never figured out why Uzumi Nara Athha waited until THE MIDDLE OF THE FINAL BATTLE to evacuate his citizens. It made me genuinely dislike him and side with Shinn in Destiny - he knew that the EA was going to come in guns blazing, that Murata Azreal would be taking over once he lost (which he knew about) yet he didn't take any precautions for the civilians who would be in harms way until AFTER the horrible damage was already done? I guess Orb's principles and ideals (gah, hated getting that mantra constantly shoved down my throat in Destiny!) were more important than the living people who needed protection to him...**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	12. Chapter 12

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: (tosses out folder marked 'online english course) I'm honestly amazed I managed to pass that.**_

 _ **Rau le Creuset: And so you finally return...you're not good at admitting defeat, are you?**_

 _ **Me: (sticks tongue out at him) No. You're problem is that YOU gave up too soon - on everyone and everything. Seriously, how much of the world, unrelated to Al Da Flaga, did you even**_ **see _before you decided it all had to go?_**

 ** _Rau: ..._**

 ** _Me: Standard disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny, you can tell because of how the second half of that latter show went...I could complain about that to the end of time._**

 **Chapter 12: The Battle for Orb part 2**

The blast from the Supreme Canon tore through four Strike daggers and struck the carrier ship a few feet out from the shore. The force of the explosion spread out like a sphere, engulfing the three other ships that had been in formation around it. As the smoke cleared, Lieutenant Dearka Elsman of the Yamato unit smirked at the destruction his new and improved suit had laid out in an instant and opened his radio. "I cleared the doorway out, darling. Nothing serious – the gears were jammed."

"Do not call me that," Miriallia Haw, Archangel CIC, retorted with a mixture of annoyance and relief that she reserved for him. "I copy that Grand Buster. Archangel, turnabout 180 degrees and advance, ready Gottfried One and Two!"

The glittering form of the Archangel blasted across the open ocean of Onogoro Island. The two mounted Gottfrieds heated up, and then fired, gutting two more ships along the way. The Helldarts fired moments later, shredding a number of Skygraspers who were flying around making a nuisance of themselves. What the Earth Alliance expected them to do, with their comparatively pitiful firepower, was anyone's guess.

Grand Buster's radar beeped twice; a warning for an unidentified unit approaching. Dearka turned to the right and frowned. "That looks like..."

Ten blue and white units were approaching him from the side, guns blazing, hoping to take advantage of the GB's comparative lack of quick mobility. Dearka whistled when his suspicions were confirmed; one drew a slightly familiar sabre. "Wow, Yzak is going to be _pissed_. I hope I'm not nearby when he sees one of these!"

He raised one of the Grand Buster's twin mounted guns and pressed the lower button, activating shrapnel shot mode. "I love my new toy," He said with a wistful sigh as the eight pronged beam reduced the entire approaching Duel Dagger regiment to scrap. "Remind me to buy Miss Simmons coffee some time."

Three skygraspers overhead exploded; the Aile Strike jetted by and skidded to a halt next to him. "She generally prefers jasmine tea, just so you know." Mu la Flaga said. "How are you holding up, Elsman?"

"It's amazing to not have to worry about a battery anymore," Dearka responded gleefully, placing the Grand Buster back into a bracing position. "And you might want to move a little to the right."

The Strike jumped aside as the GB's Supreme Canon heated up, and then unleashed a massive burst of antimatter across the ocean. Another pair of ships, one a carrier, erupted. And yet still Daggers and Skygraspers swarmed towards the beach. The Strike shot down two as the Grand Buster readjusted its footing – using the canon had pushed it back several meters.

If nothing else, the EA had suicidal bravery (or perhaps idiocy) going for it.

Dearka smirked and said, "Oh, more drones? Good. I could do this all day."

"Great. Don't get cocky," Mu teased before taking to the air again.

Dearka let out an amused snort. Actually meeting the Hawk of Endymion, getting to know him, had taken his opinion from 'begrudging respect' to outright admiration. It caused him to look back at his original attitude towards Naturals with shame; solidifying what he'd come to believe after meeting Miriallia. What stuck out the most about Mu was his attitude.

"Is he everyone's dad?" Dearka mused aloud mostly to himself, watching as the Aile Strike flew straight through a formation of Daggers, taking the head off one and gutting the other two in turn, one right after the other. "Not that I'm complaining...my own dad was barely one."

His radar beeped again, this time directly behind him. _Son of a -_

As it turned out, Dearka didn't even need to turn around; as he did, something stabbed the Duel knockoff from behind, the plasma blade going straight through the cockpit.

Blitzkrieg faded into existence as it hopped back, avoiding the explosion following the Duel Dagger's death. The demonic mobile suit landed lightly, firing the Trikeros and catching two more Strike daggers in the process. "Thanks, Nick." Dearka said with a small smile.

"Nothing to it," Nicol responded, his voice friendly but with a grim tinge to it. Dearka didn't bug him about it, as he would have several months ago – he'd come to appreciate that Nicol's dislike of combat and the loss of life had nothing to do with cowardice. "Kira sent me this way, we've got a new problem."

"Define 'new' problem," Dearka asked, cursing as new mobile suits emerged from the ocean. But these ones looked nothing like any of the other Daggers. In fact... "What the hell..."

"So there's mass produced versions of them too," Nicol let out a short aggravated sigh and reactivated Mirage Colloid. Now that he didn't have to worry about energy expenditure, he made much more frequent use of his machine's most insidious weapon.

"Does it have anything to do with these new heat sources?" Miriallia asked, sounding like Murrue was asking for clarification. "There's three of them, and they're similar to the G-Weapons, but we have no data on them."

"They're the EA's new weapons...they must have used the information gathered at Alaska to produce them," Nicol muttered, activating the beam sabre.

A moment later, one of the new EA weapons exploded, having been shot seemingly from nowhere. Dearka took advantage of the surprise to fire off the shoulder mounted missiles, drawing a line of slag and molten metal across the beach. "I'm sending the data to the Archangel right now." Nicol went on. "The Earth Alliance has created three new Gundams of its own."

"Seriously?!"

"Kira and Athrun are engaging them right now," Nicol explained. The Forbidden Blue he had just been targeting lost both its arms in two seconds, flailing helplessly as it looked around for its opponent. "further inland. They're posing a problem."

"Even for Freedom and Justice?" Miriallia asked in concern.

"They're holding them off, but these suits...they're heavily armed." Nicol responded. "And the pilots..." He hesitated. "Well, listen in on the open channel. It's nuts."

"Great," Dearka grumbled. "Like we don't have enough problems already."

He pointed one of his gun launchers to the right and pressed the shrapnel shot trigger again. Three Ashtrays, who had been backed into a corner by Strike Daggers, suddenly found their enemies falling apart. The leader rang in, "Thanks," visible trepidation in her voice.

"No problem...Caldwell, right?" Asagi Caldwell and her two unit companions, Mayura Labatt and Juri Wu Nien, were green recruits, but they had been the test pilots for the Ashtrays and had shown significant promise. Once it became clear the Earth Alliance was going to invade at some point, Uzumi had stepped up mobile suit production, so there were a couple teams worth around. The girls were using the original three to good effect – Asagi had good leader instincts, and Juri was a brilliant shot for someone who hadn't been in serious conflict before.

This was their first real high stakes battle though... "Stay close. If they have mass produced versions of whatever Commander Yamato is dealing with, more will be inbound any minute."

Asagi let out a small noise of relief at the implicit offer. "Yes sir." The three Ashtrays jetted over and rearranged themselves in formation near the Grand Buster.

"Nice, Dearka," Nicol said softly.

"We'll take care of things here," Dearka said, missing that comment due to his attention being elsewhere. "You can relay that to your boyfriends now."

Nicol flushed and muttered, "Must you?!" before switching frequencies and saying, "Commander? Kira? We're clear here for now. What's your status?"

 ****~Deeper in Onogoro~****

"We are NOT clear!" Kira swore, pushing the Freedom's engines to maximum to avoid a Scylla blast from the blue Gundam, tentatively referred to as the Calamity. "We are VERY not clear! Damn it – Athrun! We need to move this; they're getting dangerously close to Morganrate! Heine, Lunamaria, you've got to shut down those Daggers!"

"I see it, Kira." Athrun said grimly, snapping the Justice's beam sabres together. Nearby, the Forbidden growled and fired another arcing blast at him, which he dodged before taking a swipe at the machine – he'd given up on trying to shoot it when it displayed its light wave shields. Kira summoned his multibeam computer and aimed all around the three suits, hoping it would box them in – and take care of some of the units bogging the rest of his team down.

The Calamity, the Raider and the Forbidden tore off in separate directions, forced into wild dives to avoid the deadly signature move of the blue and white guardian angel. Athrun seized his chance and took a swipe at the Raider, nearly taking its wrecking ball arm off at the shoulder.

"Bastard!" The pilot, Clotho Baur, snarled.

" _Alright, I'm on my way back."_ Nicol promised. " _Dearka, Mu and the Ashtray girls are holding the beach steady."_

"The Archangel?" Kira checked in concern.

" _Hasn't sustained any serious damage yet."_ Nicol reported. " _They've got the data, and there's more bad news – there are mass produced variants."_

"Damn!" Kira spat in frustration. Athrun took a second out of the sheer, howling chaos surrounding them to be amused, because he had never heard Kira curse much. "At least tell me they're more downmarket versions."

" _Fortunately, it seems to be so. At least, the Forbidden unit is lacking any light wave capabilities."_

"Thank god for that, at least – whoa! Damn – I'll call you back, Nicol! What are these people on-" Kira pulled a hard right, missing the Calamity's dual shots by a thin margin. So instead they grazed the Raider and were deflected by Forbidden – much to their fury.

"Orga! Watch it you bastard!" Clotho shouted.

"Stop getting in my way then!" Orga retorted.

"You're the one who's in the way!" Shani hissed, jetting up and deflecting fire from the Freedom...back towards his two companions, again.

"Uh, Kira? Do Earth Forces pilots usually shoot at each other?" Athrun wondered in a mix of morbid amusement and uneasiness as he watched the three squabble.

"That hasn't been my experience," Kira responded, frowning.

Nearby, Heine, Lunamaria and Shiho were dealing with their own problems – namely, the swarm of Strike and Buster Daggers that had been air dropped in by the few carriers that had managed to survive the onslaught from _Odin's Lance_ and Captain Heidi's ship, the _Survivor_. After a few hours of fruitlessly fighting for the beach, the Alliance had switched strategies to get troops further inland.

The three enemy Gundams had contributed to that in a big way – Anew had taken a nasty hit from the Calamity when she initially engaged it, and had to land in Morganrate to get a replacement arm. Klaus and Zane had covered for her, and as a result the three were separated from their unit deeper within the industrial complex; where they were dealing with tanks and other annoyances.

"I thought they wanted Morganrate in tact!" Lunamaria yelled, pointing her hyper impulse canon and firing. A long range expert, the blast skewered three daggers in a neat row.

"We're better armed then they were expecting," Heine said grimly. "They must have changed strategies – hoping that blowing up the production facility will cripple us."

"Like hell," Shiho snarled, swinging her upgraded blue ZAKU around and gutting a hapless Strike Dagger who'd thought he'd caught her off her guard. It wasn't her CGUE DEEP arms, she thought ruefully, but it had better firepower. And in this battle, firepower mattered a lot. "They're not going to get it this time. Not after Junius and Alaska. They won't destroy anything else."

"Klaus?" Heine asked, hacking through a Dagger with a stolen beam sabre. A sharp note of concern entered his voice. "Klaus, what's your status?"

"We're fine," His brother reported after a moment of radio silence. "Anew's back in the fight -" A crash and explosion rocked the gate to Morganrate; a light blue ZAKU had thrown a tanker truck into a tank before shooting it; swallowing a massive blast radius. "-she may be venting a bit."

Heine let out a short but relieved sigh. "Good. We're coming your way."

"Roger."

 ****~In a bunker, some distance away~****

Another explosion wracked the bunker Shinn was sitting in. A small girl toppled off the bench pressed against the wall and hit his shoulder; she started crying. Awkwardly Shinn patted her on the head and pushed her back towards her nervous and apologetic mother, his heart twisted into a painful knot. He was going out of his mind in this shaded enclosure, listening to the war rage on, wondering where his parents were, where _Mayu_ was; if they were safe, if they were alive. His fingers dug into his palms until it hurt; he rested his head against his arms trying to block out the crying of the young children and the worried muttering of their parents.

The thirteen year old boy's mind went back to the Freedom and its unit. He wondered who was piloting it. _If only_ I _could use a mobile suit._ He thought, pressing his hands against his knees. _Then I could be out there, find my family, protect them..._

 _I hate sitting in here. I hate this fear that's tearing me apart inside. I'm so helpless...dad, are you alright? Mom? Where's Mayu, why won't they tell me where Mayu is..._

Shinn bit his lip, strangling a frustrated sob. His throat was bone dry; finding nothing better to do he got up and picked his way through the crowd. Upon approaching the door however, he noticed several new soldiers slip in through the entrance, looking harried.

"We've got a problem." The leader said without preamble when the head of the bunker let them inside. "We're missing a bus."

Shinn stiffened. _Missing? Oh god..._ He took a shaky breath. _No, don't panic, it might not be her...she went on the bus ahead of you, remember?_

"The bunker had a cave in. We had to move the kids...the convoy got broken up. It's missing somewhere on the north highway."

"Damn! That's dangerously close to Morganrate...is anyone close enough to assist?"

"Commander Yamato and his unit; but they're tied up fighting those new EA units. The _Odin's Lance_ is above us, but there's too much air traffic around them at the moment to directly drop a transport..."

"I guess – hey, what the-?!"

Shinn Asuka may not have the stereotypical personality of an athlete, but he was fast on his feet. He slipped past the guards and dove out the open door seconds before it automatically locked closed, escaping outside to a world of fire and desolation. Another explosion, this one closer by, nearly knocked him over, but he steadied himself and stared across the horizon. He looked out at his home, the sky full of mobile suits, the ground covered with machine parts and dead bodies, and he knew that somewhere his little sister was trapped on a bus, waiting for death.

Behind his eyes, a red seed spun and exploded.

He ran down the hill; an M1 had been abandoned by its pilot thanks to part of the instrument panel exploding and hitting him in the gut with shrapnel. However, the controls, the structure and the weapons were still in tact.

And for someone who possessed SEED, that was all that was needed.

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Next chapter wraps up the battle, I promise. Apologies for the short length; writer's block and school reared their ugly heads in tandem again. So, Shinn enters the battle...(sighs) As somebody who really liked Shinn, and felt he got screwed over by Destiny's writing, I hope you all enjoy what I've given him to do. Maybe a face to face meeting with Kira, and not having his little sister's detached arm be the revelation that she's dead, will do some good for him.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	13. Chapter 13

**Nicol's Savior**

 ** _Me: (banging head on desk) Hate fight scenes...haaaaate!_**

 ** _Rey Za Burrel: (rolls eyes) Well you're writing Gundam fanfiction, woman. You're going to have to get used to them._**

 ** _Me: (drops a colony on writer's block) I'm trying! But it's hard! Harder than people interacting!_**

 ** _Rey: (sighs) Okay. Portray me sympathetically in one of your hundred new ideas clamoring at the doorstep (indicates blocked off door which rattles and screams loudly) and I'll try and help you._**

 ** _Me: Deal._**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny.**

 **Chapter 13: Battle for Orb pt 3**

Mayu screamed as something exploded near their bus; the driver pulled a hard left throwing her against the cracked window and her friend Feldt against her. The pinkette whimpered and clutched Mayu's hand, seeking solace in their close companionship. "We're gonna die, we're gonna die, we're gonna die," someone was sobbing right behind them, barely audible above the other kids crying out or begging for help. Mayu was torn between shrieking at them to shut up and curling up into a ball of existential despair and terror. All she could hear was screaming, crying, the driver cursing while trying to use the radio, and explosions...

It was like the world was ending.

Mayu wrapped her arms around Feldt and buried her face in her shoulder, sobbing, wishing Shinn and mom and dad were here. She was barely old enough to realize that her parents couldn't protect her from everything, and now her fate was dangling by a thread... "I'm here, Feldt," She whispered, clutching her hand. "I'm here."

"I'm scared, Mayu," Feldt whispered back, eyes shining with tears. "I'm so scared. Please don't let go."

Mayu nodded as much as she could in her position, pressing Feldt even closer so their fears could be one, shared by them both. The bus skidded to another violent halt; mobile suits had cut off the exit just a ways away, they had no choice but to sit and pray they'd move without noticing an easy target... Briefly Mayu wondered what the last thing she said to her parents was. Did she say that she loved them? She couldn't remember what she said when she woke up in the morning. What had she said to Shinn? What if she died out in this horrible place and the last thing she said to him was some temper tantrum about not being allowed to play his games?

Mayu sobbed harder. She couldn't remember. She just couldn't remember. She hoped Shinn remembered her saying 'I love you' at some point. "F-Feldt..."

She tried to say that she was her very best friend, but the words got stuck in her throat.

Feldt, however, seemed to understand. She looked up, bright eyed, and nodded rapidly, her hands moving to Mayu's wrists and squeezing them like she did whenever they saw a scary scene in a movie, or when they went on roller coasters.

The Strike Daggers – three of them – had walked down the street and were facing the bus. Mayu shut her eyes. She didn't want to see her end coming.

Then she heard something explode. Three explosions, actually.

After a few long seconds seemed to indicate she was still alive...that could be the only way her heart was still hammering painfully in her chest...Mayu tilted her head and looked up. A damaged M1 was standing near their bus; gun pointed at the smoking remains of the Daggers. It turned to the right and snapped off a shot into the distance – she didn't see anything nearby, but it hit something because there was a crash several yards off to the side.

Unable to let go of Feldt, but wondering who had come to their rescue, Mayu twisted in her friend's arms and pressed towards the window.

The M1 swung around and scanned the bus for a moment. Then it knelt down and picked the broken vehicle up, tucking it under one arm – all the kids shrieked as the bus shuddered and groaned, but it beat being stuck on the road, surrounded by enemies.

"Someone came to find us..." Mayu mumbled to Feldt. Her friend sobbed with relief.

 _Who had the time?_

 _ ****~With Kira~****_

"You're terminated!"

"I'm beginning to think I should just switch my communicator off," Kira said with uncharacteristic dryness, nimbly dodging around the Raider's Mjollnir and firing his railguns at the opposing machine, catching it in the right arm. The appendage melted, prompting a furious, almost inhuman shriek of rage from the pilot.

"Not much worth listening to," Athrun agreed before slicing at the Forbidden again. Fortune smiled on him; either the pilot was tiring or he was starting to learn their patterns – he swiped across one of the shield's emitters, disabling it. Shani, not one for over the top reactions, merely glowered and fell further back, clearly debating whether or not to cut his losses. "Well, the good news is they should be running out of power soon!"

"I hope so!" Kira said, dodging past Calamity in HiMat mode as the machine fired recklessly at him. The machine might be technically superior to the Buster, but Dearka's capabilities and discipline (and continued grasp on sanity, it should be noted) provided him advantages that Orga did not have. All the drug induced upgrades in the world couldn't compete with that. Make your enemy the Ultimate Coordinator, and, well...

"Watch out, Kira!"

Nicol's warning arrived in tandem with the bark of his radar; Kira threw the Freedom in a spin and narrowly dodged past the Raider, who was still fighting despite his handicap. Blitzkrieg fired the upgraded, PSA-piercing lancer darts at the machine to keep it away while Kira regained his bearings. "Thanks Nicol," He said in relief.

"What's up with these three?" Nicol asked, a mix of bewilderment and uneasiness plain in his voice. The three Alliance suits, despite being heavily damaged and missing some of their weapons/defensive capabilities, arrayed themselves against their opponents without any sign of slowing down. "They've lasted longer than anyone else..."

"I think we need a plan." Clotho said, eyeing the three most advanced mobile suits in the ZAFT/Orb lineup with a frustrated scowl. He'd never had this sort of trouble before!

"Oh? And how long did it take you to come up with that, genius?" Orga scathed.

"I don't see _you_ coming up with any bright ideas, Orga! Running around, getting in the way of half my shots-" Clotho retorted, swinging towards the Raider.

"You're the one who gets in the way," Shani muttered darkly.

"What was that?!"

If mobile suits were somewhat sentient – and mimicked their pilots – the Freedom, Justice and Blitzkrieg would have exchanged utterly confused looks as their enemy pilots bickered, completely ignoring them in favour of shouting at each other heedless to the battle around them. Athrun was about to take the initiative and fire at the distracted pilots when suddenly all three screamed – horrible, wrenching screams comparable to ones extracted by torture. Kira and Nicol's eyes widened.

Without further ado, the Raider transformed, grabbed the Calamity and headed for the shore, with the Forbidden flying in hot pursuit.

"...What?" Kira asked simply, shaken.

"I don't know." Athrun responded, to all the potential questions wound up in that word – he could guess at several. "I think we've got a new job for ZAFT intelligence."

Nicol nodded in silent agreement.

Kira's radio crackled, and another line came in. " _Commander?_ "

"Yeah? What is it, DaCosta?"

" _We've got a civilian bus missing. A bunker caved in and we had to evacuate, but the road suffered damage that forced them to detour. If you're not occupied -"_

"I'm not," Kira promised. "I'm on my way. Athrun, Nicol, round up the rest?"

"Of course/Be careful."

Kira peeled away from his squad and flew across the damaged landscape of Orb. _Mitigated losses,_ he thought with sadness and disgust as he looked down at what the once peaceful nation had suffered. _If this is the positive outcome of an invasion here, I don't want to know what the worse would be._ It was hard to see this sort of thing and know that most of the chatter going out of the Command structure was positive. For all he'd gone through over the past half a year, Kira was still a gentle soul and he mourned every death and loss.

He followed the road indicated and glared at the sight. A single M1, now missing an arm, was backed up protecting a bus from several Strike Daggers. Evidently the Earth Forces weren't happy they were loosing.

One volley with his multi-lock system put paid to their plans for revenge.

Kira could faintly hear cheers coming from the bus as he alit down next to the damaged M1. " _Do you need help_?" He asked the pilot.

He had to choke back a surprised cry when the video flickered on, revealing a dirty, wide eyed thirteen year old. His red eyes were wide as disks and weirdly dilated, in a way Kira had come to recognize from Simmons's tests.

SEED.

 _ ****~With Shinn~****_

Shinn was only vaguely aware of the strange state of raised awareness he was experiencing. It was as if his entire world had narrowed down; he knew exactly what he needed to do, how to do it, and how to keep doing it. Despite never being in spitting distance of a mobile suit in his life, he was handling it with the capabilities of someone with a storied history – yet none of the information seemed to come from his brain. It was all his instincts. His need to protect that bright yellow bus.

He'd shot down six or seven Daggers as he tried to guide the bus away from the war zone that was Morganrate – however, there was simply no safe place to go, so they were stopped on the street. Having to defend and attack at the same time caused most of the damage to his suit...if it weren't for the heightened awareness, he would have been sobbing or frozen with terror.

Then the Freedom swooped in, every bit the angel it was designed to invoke. All of Shinn's current enemies went up in smoke, causing him to start and sit back.

" _Do you need help?"_

 _That's funny,_ Shinn thought distantly. _He doesn't sound old, like the other soldiers. He sounds a little like me._ A thought jolted him. _Mayu!_ They may be safer than they were a moment ago – much safer, the freakin Freedom was standing right in front of him – but he had to get her out of here. He fumbled with the controls until he turned on the video communication.

The Freedom's pilot – a handsome young man with brown hair and violet eyes, resplendent in the white suit that proclaimed him a ZAFT commander – gawked at him. "Oh my god," He gasped.

"Mayu," Shinn croaked, waving his free hand towards the bus. "My sister...Mayu. Had to save her...please."

For a couple of seconds, the commander was speechless. Then he blinked a few times, shook his head to clear it, and said in a stern tone, "Can the bus move at all?"

Shinn nodded, clutching the controls until his knuckles whitened.

"Follow my instructions, then. I'll get you out of here." That came out less as a command and more of a soothing promise. Shinn nodded again, unable to really speak, his mind still in the strange haze. The Freedom turned towards the bus and said something on the loudspeakers he didn't catch; moments later it took to the sky. Shinn began to stride towards Morganrate, just behind the bus, eyes trailing the sky. It seemed to him, though he didn't want to get his hopes up, that the Alliance forces were fleeing.

 _Then it's almost over._

Why did that thought make him _really_ tired?

 _ ****~A short while later~****_

"A _kid_?" Athrun repeated, jumping out of the Justice's cockpit and hurrying down the ladder. They were in the Morganrate complex closest to Kaguya, which was in the best shape due to being heavily defended. The Freedom was kneeling next to a damaged M1 which had come in with a civilian bus. Kira had babbled something on the communications after arriving that he was rather hoping he'd misheard.

Unfortunately, the technicians pried the cockpit open at that exact moment; Kira jumped in...and came up a few seconds later, precariously carrying a motionless boy in his arms.

Athrun bolted from the foot of his machine and scaled the downed M1 to help; Nicol was at their side a few seconds later providing a med bed for them. Athrun stared as Kira carefully arranged the boy on it so he looked like he was sleeping, horror and rage rushing through him in equal measure. Small mercy was welcome – the boy was breathing evenly and didn't seem to be injured. Physically, anyway.

He was a _child_ for god's sake, a bloody _child –_ he was even smaller than Nicol, and Athrun was sure that he couldn't be more than twelve – maybe thirteen.

"How-?" Nicol started.

"SEED." Kira responded shortly. Nicol and Athrun both stared. "I saw it, in his eyes – they were flared out the same way mine do when mine activates. It's the only way he could have done it."

"Done what?" Athrun asked.

"Destroyed Daggers on his own. There were a number lying around where I found him." Kira explained; he gently reached out and brushed the boy's black hair away from his face. His expression was somewhere between parental, anguished and angry.

"How'd he access that thing?" Athrun asked, gesturing to the M1.

"Part of the control panel exploded; I think the previous pilot was injured and abandoned it." Kira nodded at Henie and Lunamaria as they approached. Luna was gawking at the injured boy, while Henie looked grave. "The controls and weapons were salvageable; and SEED did the rest."

"Why was he out of the shelter?" Nicol wondered.

" _SHINN!"_

"That answer your question?" Kira asked wryly as a tiny black haired girl pushed and shoved her way through the crowd – kicking a soldier in the shin in order to do so – and rushed towards the bed like grey lightning. She skidded to a halt and stared up at the three of them for a moment; when Nicol smiled gently at her and stepped aside, giving her access to the boy's bed, she immediately threw herself at it and grabbed at the boy's hand.

"Shinn! _Shinn!"_ She sobbed. "Wake up! You have to wake up!"

"He said his little sister was on the bus," Kira explained as Henie and Lunamaria caught up.

"That would explain it," Henie said sagely. Lunamaria, meanwhile, checked Shinn's pulse. Upon being satisfied, she gently clapped her hands on the girl's shoulders, getting her attention.

"Hey! Hey, don't cry. Your big brother's alright. He's gonna be just fine," She promised.

The girl looked at her with wide, teary eyes. "But he won't wake up!"

"He's just worn out." Lunamaria said, glancing at Kira for confirmation. When he nodded, she looked back at the girl and went on, "Heroics are tiring. But don't you worry – we'll get him a doctor and everything's gonna be fine." The girl looked faintly hopeful. "Hey, what's your name?"

"M-Mayu. Mayu Asuka." She timidly offered.

"Pretty name for a pretty girl," Lunamaria complimented before taking Mayu's hand. "How about I help you find your parents? Don't worry. The Commander will take care of your brother."

Mayu looked torn for a moment; part of her wanted to stay with Shinn. She turned and stared hard at the three older boys for a few seconds before apparently judging them safe people to leave Shinn with, and trotted after Luna as the older girl headed towards logistics.

"Remind me to thank her later," Kira said in relief. Even though his gut told him he'd run into more scenes like that, and those ones would not have happy endings, he was glad to see at least one family reunited.

"She has practice," Henie said, in reference to Luna's sister Meyrin, who assisted with communications aboard the Eternal. "So this boy has SEED? What do you plan to do?"

That was a loaded question. "List him as a bearer of the ability and commend him for what happened today," Kira responded firmly. "Nothing more. He isn't old enough to enlist under either Orb or ZAFT standard; and even desperate measures should not include involving more children in this conflict." He glanced down at Shinn and muttered, "At least _I_ was in college..."

Athrun silently slid his hand into Kira's while Nicol nodded in agreement. Henie seemed pleased by that. "Indeed. I believe Lord Athha and Chairman Clyne are expecting you in the briefing."

"Thanks. You and Shiho take care of things here." Kira added that as an afterthought, and it still sounded more like a request than an order from a superior. Nevertheless Henie smiled, saluted and went to round up the squad.

 ****~Line Break~****

"The island is holding," Uzumi said, once Kira, Cagalli, Athrun, Murrue and Mu, Waltfeld and Aisha, Jason, Tristan, Felicity and Heidi were together in the main office at Kaguya. "I believe the Alliance has realized they cannot force our combine forces out. However, this leaves a problem I wasn't anticipating."

"A problem?" Jason enquired.

"We cannot stay here," Siegel responded, his brow furrowing. "The conflict won't end unless we can confront Old ZAFT and destroy the GENISIS canon. Unfortunately we don't have enough people still inside the PLANTs for an inside job to be feasible, especially with the rise in security. That, and Zala has made use of Mirage Colloid to hide GENISIS's exact location from all outside his inner circle. An up front confrontation may be our only hope."

"So we need to go to space," Heidi said, brow furrowing. "But we can't leave Orb undefended. So some of us have to stay behind."

"I hate to be this person," Felicity prefaced before saying, "but can we really afford to split our forces further at this point? We fight two enemies with vastly more resources. I think we need to stay together."

"True," Uzumi said calmly before Cagalli could go into a rage, "however an army cannot function without resource points. The Alliance came to Orb first because they believed it was an easier target than Victoria. We have discouraged that notion; I believe it is safe for some of you to move on."

"We don't have a choice," Siegel agreed. " _Archangel, Eternal, Izumo_ and _Odin's Lance_ will take Kaguya tomorrow. Commander Yamato and Lieutenant Zala will cover you in transit."

"Understood," Murrue said. Kira and Athrun just nodded silently. For the first time since it's launch, the _Archangel's_ bay was actually full – its loadout consisted of Freedom, Justice, Blitzkrieg, Grand Buster, and Kira's ZAKU team. The _Izumo_ , meanwhile, carried eight Astrays including Asagi's team. The _Eternal_ was largely managing a new weapons platform – the METEORs. Siegel largely described them as a last resort weapon – the overwhelming and precise firepower had only one use. Poor Athrun had become utterly pale when he realized what that meant.

At the end of the briefing, Kira was about to head out when Uzumi put a hand on his shoulders. "Commander Yamato, may I borrow you for a moment?"

Kira blinked and nodded, waving for Athrun to go on ahead. His friend nodded, looking curious as Uzumi lead Kira away...along with Cagalli.

Uzumi brought him aside to a living room, and Kira blinked at the inhabitants. "Mom! Dad!" He called in surprise; he hadn't seen them in nearly a year. He thought of how he'd avoided them during his first arrival at Orb and felt somewhat ashamed; he had let his stress get the better of him.

Caridad shot out of her chair and rushed over to embrace her son. He _woofed_ slightly at the impact and quickly tried to steady her, earning an apologetic smile. "Oh Kira," She whispered, clinging to him. "I'm so glad you're okay! I heard...oh..."

"I'm sorry mom," Kira said softly, rubbing her back. "I'm fine, really...I meant to show up sooner, but..."

Haruna walked up next, examining him with a look that was both nervous and prideful. He put a hand on Kira's shoulder. "Look at you, Commander. You've moved up in the world."

"I guess," Kira said with a uncertain shrug, gently prying his mother away and getting her to sit down again. Cagalli was watching him with something like envy; Uzumi's wife Sayla had died when she was too young to remember her. Haruna sat on Kira's left, glancing uncertainly at Uzumi.

Kira was somewhat puzzled. While he knew that Uzumi wasn't as aloof towards his people as nobles were frequently wont to be, it struck him as odd that his parents knew their Chief Representative personally. He felt like there was something missing here.

Uzumi sat next to Cagalli on the couch across from them, and seemed to sigh. "I don't believe there's a reason to hide it anymore," he said. "As you see, the children have met."

Haruna hesitated. "Sir, with respect, doesn't Kira have enough to worry about right now?"

"Worry about? Dad...what's all this about?" Kira asked in confusion.

"It's because of what he is now at the centre of that I believe he should know," Uzumi responded, though there was some hesitation in his eyes. "Better he learns it here than somewhere else. I believe information about that project has been leaked."

Caridad took a shaky breath. "I...I see."

"What's going on?!" Cagalli exploded. "Will somebody just _spit it out_?"

Caridad locked her fingers together and looked pleadingly at Kira. "Have I told you much about my sister, Kira?" She asked. He hesitantly shook his head. "Well, she was married to a man – an incredible scientist named Hibiki. He was one of the most skilled gene doctors in history. However...he was a very ambitious man. He believed...he believed that he could create a perfect human being. A paragon, more capable than even other coordinators. When my sister grew pregnant, he...he had her son removed from her womb and placed in an artificial one to make the 'upgrades' possible."

Her eyes grew tearful. "That boy was you, Kira."

Kira's entire world rocked. "Wh...what?"

She nodded at Cagalli. "However, the womb was expensive, and difficult to maintain. When she had her second child, he tried to see if the same treatment would work...it didn't, but it did make her a coordinator. You...you two were born Kira and Cagalli Hibiki."

Kira fingers were cold. He locked them together, and his heart longed for Athrun or Nicol to be with him right now to steady his fragile world. Cagalli, for the first time in her life, was stunned completely speechless. "W...Why? I...I'm some sort of science experiment?"

"You're my son!" Caridad insisted. "I've been afraid of telling you this story for years because I didn't know what people would think of you! I was afraid...afraid they'd fear you, that you wouldn't be safe from rejection even among other coordinators. I was afraid people would try to exploit you and what you can do..."

Kira's mind went back – way back – to the first time he had used the _Strike_. "That's why I could rewrite a mobile suit's OS mid battle," he said dully. "Because of what Hibiki did to me?"

"Entirely possible." Uzumi said. "Even with what few records survived Blue Cosmos's attack on Mendel don't cover the extent of what he believed you'd be capable of. But if you weren't a bright young man already, I doubt those abilities would have been much use."

Kira felt dizzy. He wanted to find Nicol. The pianist always seemed to know what to say.

"You're my mom," he said quietly, to Caridad. "I...I don't have any other." The denial is somewhat pointless, but he can't help himself. He just wanted one part of his life to be steady.

Cagalli seemed to realize this. She eschewed the loud, violent reaction she initially intended to hurry over and hug him. Kira's response was numb. He has an awful sense that he's in shock and will break down later. At least his parents are still here. The Ultimate Coordinator.

What did that even mean?

 ****~Elsewhere~****

Shinn groans as the world came back into focus with _really bright lights._ His head was pounding and his memory was fuzzy. He tried to raise one hand to shield his face, wincing at how leaden his muscles felt. How did he get in here?

 _M1. Bunker collapsed. Protecting a school bus. Right._

 _Holy shit, that was_ me _?_ I _did that? How?_

"Oh! You're finally awake."

Shinn blinks the bright lights out of his eyes and twisted his head to the right, finding himself nearly face to face with the kind young pilot of _Blitzkrieg_ , and if he weren't so tired he would have jumped out of his skin because what was one of ZAFT's new war heroes doing by _his_ bedside?

"Shinn!" Mayu launched herself at his bed, grabbing his arm and smiling brightly at him. "Shinn, you're awake! MOM! DAD!"

Shinn feels something uncoil in his chest – relief and happiness, knowing his parents were alright, his sister was alright, even though she's hurting his ears as she goes to the door hollering for them – the pilot, Nicol Amalfi, puts one hand on the side of his bed and says, "You were incredibly brave yesterday."

"What...what did I even do?" Shinn asked fuzzily, before realizing his mistake. "Er, sir! Sorry, sir."

Nicol laughed gently; Shinn smiles because the other boy has very kind eyes. Everything about him sings of sincerity. "Don't worry about it. What happened was that you manifested a unique ability that draws out all your potential."

"I...remember feeling weird. Like my awareness was expanded." Shinn waved slightly, then tried to sit up. He was stiff, but otherwise he felt just fine. "I just...knew what I had to do. I felt – funny. Godlike, almost."

Nicol nodded and then put something in Shinn's hand. The black haired youth blinked at it a couple of times before gawking; it was a golden star, one of Orb's highest honours for civilian bravery. "You did very well, Shinn Asuka."

Shinn stuttered wordlessly; he'd be so embarrassed if he weren't shocked. Mayu ran back in with his parents Ricardo and Ryoko and crushed him in another hug. Nicol smiled and excused himself, leaving the family to their devices.

 _I hope he never has to fight again,_ the pianist thought to himself. _But if it is necessary, even sometime in the future when Patrick Zala is dead and gone, I hope he's one of our new recruits._

 _Though that headstrong recklessness might need minding._

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Was going to add Athrun and Nicol's reaction to the whole Ultimate Coordinator news, but decided to save that for next chapter when they go to space. Also I really wish I'd known about Perfect Strike while writing last chapter, I would have had fun with that - seriously, that form is real badass. Given that our nuclear machines match the druggies three for three, Azreal decides that his pet projects might need some backup...while le Creuset muses on how to fulfill his own plans with this unexpected variable in play.**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	14. Chapter 14

**Nicol's Savior**

 **University: You know, it only looks like you spend less time on my work than you do at high school. If anything, you need more. Hey, you remembered to put the due dates on your calander! Don't worry, everyone struggles in their first year. You won't be the only one getting by on sixties.**

 **Me: (head on desk, buried under a mountain of essays.)**

 **Dearka: (shifts a few) Yo. Are you alive in there?**

 **Me: (muffled) Barely.**

 **Dearka: Then how about you write something that doesn't melt your brain?**

 **Me: ...Ask me again in an hour. (I'm glad I'm finally on break!)**

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or Gundam SEED Destiny.**_

 **Chapter 12: Return to Space**

"It's weird to see the _Archangel's_ hanger so full," Kira remarked, half to himself, as he walked the Freedom to its resting place. The _Strike_ , now boasting the 'Perfect' weapons pack (which was effectively Simmons finding a way to hardwire all the weapons on at once) was back in its original post, alongside _Grand Buster,_ _Blitzkrieg_ and _Justice_. Kira's team was on board the _Eternal_ along with the METEOR weapons modulus; the _Kusanagi_ was carrying the _Akasuki_ and several Astrays including Asagi's team, while the _Renegade_ had multiple CGUS and three ZAKU. "I'm used to it being just me and Mu. Now it's almost cramped." The doors closed behind him once the Freedom was secure.

The Archangel moved forward slowly, preparing to scale Kaguya and return to the stars. Kira was wracked with conflicting feelings about it. The last time he was in space, a shuttle he'd tried so hard to protect was shot down, the Eighth fleet burned around them, and he himself had barely survived re-entry. However, the fact that they were returning to space meant that they were once again taking the fight to their enemies. No more fleeing.

The crew list on the Archangel had also been, at long last, filled to capacity rather than remaining a skeleton. The newbies, a mix of True ZAFT and Orb volunteers, were mixed in among the Archangel's veterans who were showing them the ropes.

Kira finished a few adjustments to the _Freedom's_ computer and targeting systems, leaning back in his seat as Murrue rattled off the ascension protocols. "Are you nervous, Kira?" Nicol asked over an open channel. They had to stay aboard their mobile suits during takeoff.

He chuckled slightly; the younger boy could read anyone like an open book. "I need to make good memories in space, so I stop associating it with running from the ruins of Heliopolis." He said, shaking his head. "Lord Uzumi talked about reconstructing the colony, after the war, with the cooperation of the PLANTs...but it just wouldn't be the same."

Nicol made a small noise of understanding. "Your friend Kuzzy grew up on Heliopolis, didn't he?"

"Yeah." The bluenette had dropped off the Archangel after the battle for Orb; war was just too much for his nerves. Flay had laid claim to his old post with grim determination. Nobody blamed him; a few months ago Kira would have joined him, before he understood that there were things only he could do, things he _needed_ to do. Not just for others, but himself. "I've never been to the PLANTs proper, though. I meant to, but mom chose Heliopolis."

He decided, after his initial mental breakdown ran its course, that he was still going to call Caridad 'mom'. She was the only mother he'd ever known, and she loved him, even though she'd kept all this from him.

 _He walked into their hotel room, hands shaking. He didn't know what expression he was wearing, but when Athrun saw him his expression switched from warm to concerned in a split second. "Kira? Kira, what's wrong? You're shaking."_

 _Kira opened his mouth, closed it, and shook his head, pressing his nails into his palm. He_ was _shaking, he realized, trembling as badly as he had after Nicol narrowly survived their encounter at the island. His mind was filled with white noise. "I..." He stumbled into the wall and leaned against it. Athrun almost teleported across the room, putting his hands on his shoulders, speaking, repeating his name; Kira couldn't quite make the words out._

 _When he regained coherency, he was sitting on the couch with Athrun next to him. Nicol emerged from the kitchen with a glass of water, which he pushed into his hands, murmuring for him to drink and stay calm. Unable to force a smile, Kira gulped the cool liquid down, focusing on the chill in his throat, trying to right himself._

" _What did Uzumi need to tell you about?" Nicol asked, biting his lip. "Mu said you were out of sorts, but..."_

" _My parents aren't my parents." Kira rasped. Athrun blinked and Nicol's eyes widened. "I was...I was...my birth father, Ulen Hibiki...he wanted to create a perfect human being. He...he...he took me from my mother's womb and put me in an artificial one."_

" _What?! But that's," Athrun stuttered, as the implications started to sink in, "That's illegal! And I thought that technology was partly theoretical!"_

 _Kira shook his head. "Didn't...didn't matter. He had his vision. He wanted to...to make me perfect. The Ultimate Coordinator. He...he gave me more modifications, changed me more than either of you. Or anyone, really. The Ultimate human being..." He clenched his hands. "I'm...I'm artificial..."_

" _No, you're not!" Nicol butted in, shaking his head. "You were conceived naturally just like us. And even if you weren't, you're still a_ person _. Nothing he did to you controlled decisions you made by yourself after you got away from him."_

" _That's right," Athrun said softly, squeezing Kira's wrist. "Where ever you came from, you're still my best friend, and one of the bravest men I've known."_

" _But..." Kira hesitated. "But what does it_ mean _? That I was designed to be 'perfect?' Was I supposed to show that natural people were defective compared to me? How...how many babies did he go through before he got me and got the right results?"_

" _Those are_ his _sins," Nicol said with great emphasis, "_ Not _yours."_

" _That's why I could use a mobile suit despite having no experience." Kira muttered. "That's how I could rewrite an OS in a minute while being shot at."_

" _Is that a bad thing?" Athrun said insistently. "You used those powers to_ save _people, Kira. That's nothing to be ashamed of."_

 _Kira looked between them several times, eyes still unfocused, though his breathing had evened out. He shivered and murmured, "You're not afraid of me?"_

 _The other two boys shared an alarmed look, then shook their heads. "No," Nicol responded. He reached out and brushed his fingers across Kira's hands, which were still shaking. "Why would we be? You're Kira – sweet, selfless Kira. We'll never fear you."_

" _But all the things I could do," Kira said, his voice weak and afraid. "Fighting off four elites alone. Defeating a man with years of experience in his own back yard. Managing not to kill someone in a split second of clarity. All that, and I did it despite having literally fallen into a mobile suit and had no idea what I was doing half the time. What could I become if I fully realized my 'potential'? What will I become...if I embrace what I am?"_

" _...You'll become someone I wouldn't want to face on the battlefield." Athrun acknowledged, before gently turning Kira towards him and pressing his forehead against his. "But you'll still be you. Kira. Your soul isn't crafted by your genes."_

 _Kira nodded once, twice, then he started to cry – out of relief, out of stress, or out of exhaustion he wasn't certain, maybe all three – and Athrun embraced him against his chest while Nicol circled around to his side and rubbed soothing circles on his back._

"...Kira?"

He blinked; he'd gotten lost in thought again. Wow, the last time he was this dazed it had been the time when Nicol was confined to the _Archangel_ infirmary. "Sorry. What was it?"

"I'm surprised the Zala loyalists vacated the PLANTs." Nicol said, smiling patiently. He knew why Kira was distracted. "Chairman Clyne didn't say much; apparently the riots and increased political opposition forced him to relocate."

"Well, knowing that half their army had deserted them was a moral blow like none other," Athrun commented. The Archangel jerked, beginning its climb towards the stars. "Lacus said a man named Durandal was primarily involved with...ousting the corrupted ZAFT. I've never met anyone with that name, so I guess we'll get the whole story once we arrive."

"I guess," Kira echoed, though he had a faint feeling that name should be familiar. He brushed it off; he'd heard dozens of names with varying importance ever since he was inducted into the PLANTs armed forces. "He must be a good orator, if he pulled that off without support from True ZAFT."

"I've heard a little about a man named Durandal," Nicol said thoughtfully. "I think my mother met him a few times, at various state functions. She said he was a friendly, genial man, though not very forthcoming about himself."

 _Maybe he wanted to be underestimated,_ Kira thought, _in case something like this happened._ It was as good a theory as any.

"We'll find out." Athrun sounded a little uncertain, though neither boy blamed him for it. He was still out of sorts about everything related to his father and his father's position; he'd spent most of his time not in meetings avoiding anyone of any political stripe.

Kira didn't blame him for wishing that war was a little more simple. Good and bad people. Enemies and allies. And while things were less complicated than when he first tumbled into the _Strike_ , the motivations of their opponents were still all over the place; with some just there because their country demanded it. It was frustrating, and saddening, and could wear away at your resolve. You had to fight, just to be sure you were doing the right thing.

The rattling slowed and then stopped; the Archangel had passed through the atmosphere and had entered space. Letting out a long breath, Kira opened the _Freedom's_ hatch and let himself float in zero gravity, removing his helmet in the process. He was going to miss the clear, natural air of Orb; already the recycled oxygen of the Archangel tasted dry and stuffy. Nicol was clearly thinking something similar when he emerged from Blitzkrieg; there was a wistful look in his eyes.

"I'll always belong in space," the pianist confined in him as the three floated over to the catwalk. "But I'm going to miss being on Earth, feeling sunlight on my skin."

"We can always go back, when this is over." Athrun offered. _When. Not if._ There had been a subtle change in his dialogue once he was reunited with his two best friends; less despairing, less world weary, more confident. Dearka had noticed, and added that to his constant teasing; Miriallia frequently had to come to their rescue whenever he was on a roll.

Kira wondered if his best female friend knew the implications of effectively having the blonde collared. Though given her baggage with Tolle, it was entirely possible she either hadn't noticed, or was ignoring it. To his (considerable) credit, Dearka was keeping his attraction to her low key; despite being plainly interested he hadn't approached her with anything more than casual friendliness.

"The 'lakes' on the PLANTs did always feel like over-sized wave pools," The blonde in question remarked, having already extracted himself from Grand Buster. "Nothing will beat the real beach – I'm starting to see why Laura wanted to get married on Earth." He smiled wistfully. "Heh. Maybe some day I'll do it in her stead. Have a beach wedding."

Athrun looked surprised; Dearka typically didn't bring his sister up in casual conversation, much less mention something personal about her. "Maybe someday," He echoed.

Dearka smirked at him, but didn't offer any embarrassing rejoinders, which lead Kira to believe he was actually brooding on something – quite possibly Yzak Joule. The silver haired berserker was the only member of the former le Creuset team who was missing from the Archangel. And while the redcoat's abrasive personality had kept most at arms length, Dearka's ego had been such that he could ignore the worst of Yzak's vitriol for long enough to become good friends with him. The funny thing was that Yzak actually appreciated it, for all he pretended to be eternally irritated by Dearka's refusal to take anything seriously – the two weren't often seen without each other. Given that neither had any idea where the other was ever since Alaska, it wasn't too much of a stretch to guess that Dearka was worrying and trying not to show it.

"Do you think the trip to the PLANTs will be relatively free of trouble for once?" Kira wondered.

"Don't tempt Murphy's Law, Yamato." Dearka warned him. " _Never_ tempt Murphy's Law."

 _ **Line Break**_

In spite of Kira waving a hand in front of Fate's eyes, the trip to the PLANTs did in fact go smoothly – aside from two skirmishes with ZAFT scouts that were easily taken care of. Miriallia couldn't quite contain her curiosity as the Archangel entered the hanger of Junius One; before all of this she likely never would have set foot in the PLANTs in spite of the fact she rather wanted to. "Wow," she heard Flay say somewhere above her as they approached. "They look amazing up close..." _True that,_ she thought. _So this is where the boys live..._

Using 'the boys' as a blanket reference to Athrun and Dearka helped her deal with her complicated feelings regarding them. Dearka was charming, had no trouble making her laugh...but she wasn't ready to deal with how that made her feel. Not right now. And Athrun...she had planned to confront him straight up about killing Tolle; but seeing Kira's happiness at being reunited with the blue haired boy had put a hamper on her desire to do so. The fact that, as Nicol had said before, Athrun had proven to be soft spoken and empathetic outside of battle had muddled things further.

So instead of dealing with these feelings, Miriallia buried herself in her new job. CIC control. She didn't have the official training, but she had learned rapidly in the months she had spent handling the controls under the Lieutenant's direction. Miriallia had always been the one managing things whenever Kira, Tolle, Sai and Kuzzy were working at the university, so she could adapt to this. It was both scary and a little thrilling; she finally felt like she had some agency in her fate. And after being dragged all around the stars and the seas, with the threat of dying over her head at all times, that was a welcome feeling. Technically, going from a Crewman Second Class to Lieutenant was an unprecedented jump (especially for someone who hadn't been through military school), but frankly just about everything on the _Archangel_ was unprecedented.

Miriallia stepped out of her seat and stretched, nodding to the Orb woman who had taken up her old post. The ship was being given its docking orders, so they had pretty much arrived – the Renegade and the Eternal were already in port. "I'm not used to things going that easily," she said, half to herself. Murrue overheard her and gave a grim smile of agreement.

The older woman – Yuffie, Miriallia had heard her name at some point – put a hand on her shoulder and gave it a friendly, reassuring squeeze. She didn't say anything aloud, but all that was implied was all that was needed. _Don't worry, you're not alone, you have backup, you will not be deserted._ Miriallia liked Yuffie. She was warmer many career soldiers.

The Archangel also had a new councilor, mostly for the pilot's sake, though all the soldiers were encouraged to talk to her at some point. Miriallia had gone to her in the middle of the night after a nightmare about Tolle's death; the resulting two hour conversation and storm of tears had taken some of the weight off her shoulders – enough so she could go back to sleep without trouble. Or worrying Kira. Because Kira had enough to worry about as it was.

Frankly, Miriallia was just hoping she could catch up with the Hawke sisters now that they had reached home base. She had run into Lunamaria after the battle for Orb – quite literally, she'd been dwelling on something Dearka had said and crashed into the purple haired girl on the way to the mess hall. Lunamaria hadn't been phased in the slightest; ignoring her attempts at apologizing, she grabbed Miriallia by the arm and dragged her over to her table where her sister Meyrin was waiting. Luna had thrown a few dozen questions at her and suddenly the Orb native found herself chatting with the two girls like they had been long lost best friends all their lives. At some point Shiho and Anew had joined them, so by the end of the meal Miriallia had come to know half of Kira's squadron fairly well.

"If daddy had known I would eventually set foot on the PLANTs," Flay murmured as she fell in step with Miriallia in the hallway, "he would have disowned me."

 _Then he wouldn't have been much of a loss,_ Miriallia opined silently. Aloud she said, "Are you worried about going inside, Flay?"

The redhead twisted strands of her hair between her fingers, biting her lip. "A little. I know I have an Orb uniform, but...well, the Allster name probably isn't welcome here. For good reason." She made an unhappy face. "I bet Nicol won't tell his parents I tried to shoot him, if I meet them."

"He's forgiven you, Flay, there's no reason to." Miriallia grabbed her hand and squeezed it reassuringly. It had been frightening to watch Flay loose her mind. But now that she had it back, the brunette was determined to see she keep it. Enough terrible things had happened already; allowing any more would bring them nothing.

"He should have been _mad._ He should have _hated_ me." Flay whispered. "Why...why did he forgive me? _I_ wouldn't have forgiven me, in his place."

"That's just the sort of person he is," Miriallia said simply. Because that was really all there was to it. It was part of the reason she was friends with the pianist. "It's something he has in common with Kira." Flay hung her head. "Forgive yourself, Flay. We're all doing what's right now."

Flay thought about that, then squeezed Miriallia's hand in turn. "I don't deserve a friend like you, Mir."

"Deserving has nothing to do with it." The brunette responded firmly.

They disembarked the Archangel a minute later; Captain Murrue and Mu were already outside, along with Captain Campbell and Mister Waltfeld. They were all standing behind Siegel Clyne as the man shook hands with a tall, dark haired politician Miriallia didn't recall seeing in any of the dissertations. _He must be the man who ousted Zala._

"Heeey! There you are!"

Flay jumped, while Miriallia grinned and swung to her right to see Lunamaria jogging over, Meyrin and Anew trailing behind her. The purple haired sharpshooter skidded to a halt and clapped the brunette's arm. "Welcome home!" She said brightly. "To my home, that is. I don't know about you, but I want to take a breather and go for a swim. Don't you? What's your name, by the way, I've seen you around but we've never chatted." The last two questions were directed at Flay, who jumped in surprise before stuttering her name out. "Flay Allster? Right, right, Mir mentioned you earlier. My place has a pool. And snacks in the cupboard, dad has a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe. You up for swimming?"

"I'd love to," Miriallia said honestly, because she needs to pretend she's a normal sixteen year old girl from time to time or she's going to loose her mind. The idea of ducking her head below the surface of a pool, not thinking about attack analysis or pitched combat or the deck pitching below her feet, is amazing and she can't agree fast enough.

Flay is feeling the same way, because despite jumping at Luna's friendliness (and perhaps waiting for the other shoe to drop; there are going to be Coordinators here who aren't happy to have an Allster around), nods in acceptance.

Lunamaria beams and proceeds to drag them both off in the direction of the train station. She already has permission to disembark.

 ****~Back with Kira~****

Gilbert Durandal exudes an aura that Kira can't quite put words to.

The description Estelle gave Nicol about him was spot on. Durandal had an easy, gentle smile, but his eyes were distant and he came across as enigmatic; he spoke little of himself and mostly of what he had achieved in kicking Patrick Zala off the station. (As it turned out, it was revealing that his plans to assassinate Siegel and Lacus Clyne, as well as revealing the purpose of GENESIS) He apologized for not being able to destroy the canon itself, Siegel told him not to worry; he hadn't had the forces for that to be feasible. Eventually Siegel introduced him; Durandal shook his hand and praised his determination and compassion.

He also knew that Kira was the Ultimate Coordinator. He was attached to the project when he was twelve.

Durandal was nothing but kind and sensitive on the matter. He reassured Kira that he was in no way an artificial being, with words similar to those that Nicol had used. He hypothesized that the superhuman reflexes were what allowed Kira to escape the _Strike_ so he wasn't hit by the brunt of the explosion (and hence, survived). He promised to keep the knowledge of the project from spreading, as he had done for years since it closed and Hibiki was killed by Blue Cosmos.

Kira thought that Durandal's eyes could see through anyone. There was something intensely magnetic about him, about those eyes. Kira felt like he could trust him. That wasn't a feeling he threw around easily anymore.

Athrun relaxed when Durandal talked to him. That, if nothing else, convinced Kira there was something unique about that man. When Durandal said all he wanted was peace, all three boys found that they believed him.

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Yup. Welcome to the story, Durandal, one of my favorite Gundam seed antagonists. Your roll in this story is a little last minute, but I wanted to get you in**_ **somehow. _Sorry for the wait, University hit me like a runaway train with broken breaks AND at one point I lost all the data on my old computer, which was a HUGE downer and killed my muse for a good while. But I'm back, and I DO intend to complete this story._**

 ** _Read and Review please!_**


	15. Chapter 15

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: I always thought it was weird that Gundam has this long philosophical conversations in the dead center of a violent battle. I have a lot of trouble talking and running at the same time, if I can at all, and I imagine taking your concentration away from the people shooting at you should probably end badly. So why not have the chit chat take place on downtime?**_

 ** _Durandal: I prefer talking over chess, personally._**

 ** _Me: (chuckle) That's why you keep beating me, huh? Because I'm paying more attention to what you're saying than the moves I'm making._**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED or Destiny.**

 **Chapter 13: Quiet Moments**

The silence between battles lay heaviest on soldiers who'd become used to the noise.

Kira lay awake in bed, looking down at Athrun who had managed to fall asleep. He felt a little bad for not being able to take his own advice – he was the one who had pulled the blunette away from work, insisting he go to sleep early – however, it felt more important that Athrun got real rest. Even in sleep, the other boy looked slightly pained...likely his dreams were troubling him. If he were the type, Kira would have cursed Patrick Zala. Uneasy sleep was better than none at all, but Kira couldn't seem to manage it, his mind jumping between all the battlefields he had visited since...the beginning of the year? Had it really been that short a time...?

The desert, the ocean, the island...He shook his head, trying to clear the images away...they remained, like flickering static. _This is no good..._ Gently, Kira ran his fingers through Athrun's hair and adjusted the blanket over him before carefully slipping out of bed.

He could faintly hear music from the lower floor when he entered the kitchen. The Amalfi family estate was three floors, spacious but eerily silent. Yuri had explained that the extended family had used to be frequent visitors, but his brothers had died in the Mandelbrot incident, so their rooms had went unused ever since. His and Athrun's room was one of those two. Kira felt as if their ghosts still lingered there, not to pass on until the war finally ended. It was something in the air...

He filled a glass of water at the sink and drank it straight down. Then he made his way down the stairs, careful not to let his footsteps echo, until he reached the piano in the front room.

"You can't sleep either?" He asked softly.

Nicol played the last few notes of the bar and paused. "I can't." He admitted. "The memories crept up on me." His fingers ghosted over the keys. "I hope I didn't wake you..."

"I was never asleep. Athrun finally called it a day, though." Kira sat on the edge of the bench, next to him. "Bad dreams?"

Nicol nodded slightly. He didn't elaborate, but he pulled his still lightly scarred leg closer, and that was all Kira needed to know. "I'm sorry." He said quietly.

"Stop," Nicol murmured. "I'm not dreaming about you attacking me. I'm dreaming about dying, the death you saved me from." He placed his hands on his knee. "Soldiers die at any given moment, and now I know that better than anyone. I just...hadn't had time to think about it. I'm glad the _Blitzkrieg's_ cockpit looks radically different from the old..."

"I understand." He dreamed about the Aegis self destructing once. He doubted it would be the last time, and he too had been caught up enough in the chaos to keep it at bay. "Neither have I. Had a chance to think and panic, I guess."

Nicol turned towards him and quietly asked, "Did you scar? I thought saw, a while ago...I didn't ask."

Hesitantly, Kira reached up and touched his chest. "Yeah. I did scar. It was...rather unavoidable." Athrun had been aghast when he'd taken a good look at what he'd done; the brunette doubted that he believed he was forgiven.

Nicol turned towards him, a silent question in his eyes. Kira nodded slowly, unbuttoning the light shirt he'd worn to bed until his chest was visible. The scar was massive, jagged, reaching from his left shoulder to partway down his stomach. His skin was dark there, and likely always would be. Very carefully the younger boy ran his fingers across the edges. "Does it hurt anymore?"

"No." Only the memory lingered. "Mister Waltfeld said I looked like a proper soldier now."

A soft snort. "He says that like it's a silver lining."

"Well, we are both still alive." Which was more than he had hoped for after leaving the desert what seemed like a lifetime ago.

"I guess so." Nicol's eyes darkened slightly, his hand resting on the center of the scar. "It must have been so painful..."

"I was unconscious or partially unconscious a lot," Kira admitted, "which I'm fairly grateful for, for that very reason. I'm just glad I didn't end up loosing anything along the way."

Nicol nodded, and for a moment they sat in silence. Kira gently tipped his head towards the piano. "You were playing something...I don't think I've ever heard it before."

This brought a small, proud smile to Nicol's face. "You haven't heard it before because I'm in the process of writing it." He explained, pointing at the earmark on the rightmost sheet. "This is what's been taking all my spare time, and it's not nearly done yet."

"It's an opera?" Kira wasn't very musically gifted; however close inspection of the sheets made his eyebrows shoot up. "Oh wow..."

"More or less. I haven't made as much progress as I was hoping too...and I figured that if I can't sleep, I might as well do this." Nicol's smile became faintly sheepish. "Part of the reason its slow going is that it's written with a lot of instruments in mind, including a singer."

"That's amazing..."

"It's not amazing yet," Nicol disputed, his face heating up slightly.

"Tell me about it?" Kira requested.

And he did, and while Kira may not understand more than one word out of five when it came to in depth musical theory, the sheer complexity of the music left him in awe. Nicol patiently explained and defined various decisions as Kira asked after them; slowly the dark dreams of boiling metal coffins faded; not gone, but distant.

 _ ****~Elsewhere~****_

Miriallia had managed to fall asleep, and was sleeping fairly peacefully at that, however she was woken by a chair toppling over followed by the sounds of someone throwing up – which she noticed due to the guest room she was staying in being two doors down from said bathroom. Rolling over and rubbing her eyes, she listened as the person threw up again. "Luna?" She murmured, half a question, half a statement.

Getting to her feet, Miriallia cautiously made her way down the hall and into the bathroom. Sure enough, Lunamaria was shakily getting to her feet, pale and lacking her usual upbeat smile. "Ah...Miriallia?"

"Hey," the brunette said sympathetically, reaching out and putting a hand on the other girl's back.

The purple haired rookie managed a contrite look before breaking down into a fit of coughing. Though thankfully she didn't throw up this time. Once she was coherent, she managed, "Sorry; did I wake you?"

"It's not a problem." Mir responded easily. "Do you think that's it? Let's get you some ginger..."

Luna waved weakly before a tinge of green entered her cheeks again. "I don't think I should..." she coughed and doubled over.

"I'll go get it," Mir promised, leaving the room just as Lunamaria threw up again. She came to a slow stop in the kitchen, mindful of the fact that Flay and Meryin's rooms were nearby and they seemed to still be resting. Rustling through the cupboard, Miriallia grabbed the box she was looking for and headed back, closing her eyes in wonder as she heard the wooden floor creak beneath her feet. She remembered being surprised by the humble, wood and stone construction that went into the Hawke family house; Luna told her that her father was a very retro man and an avid historian, with a fondness for old fashioned notions. There was an old stone fireplace, oil paintings, and wooden paneling where ever possible. Miriallia's father had a cottage somewhat like this in Orb; she remembered warm childhood nights spent there before she moved to space and to Heliopolis to get her Morganrate sponsored secondary education. It hadn't been until she entered the Hawke estate that she realized how much she missed that old house. She would have to go back to it once the war was over; maybe buy it from her father in time and call it her own home...

Luna had just rinsed her mouth and flushed the basin when Mir returned; she accepted the ginger fragments with a grateful smile. As she chewed and swallowed, Mir rooted through the medicine cabinet until she came up with anti nasuea pills before handing them over as well.

"You're a lifesaver," Luna said; she still looked significantly pale, but already there was more energy and life in her face. "Sorry I woke you."

"Don't worry about it." Mir gave her a critical look. "Are you alright? You seemed fine when we called it a night."

"Haha...I thought I was fine too. I just...got blindsided."

"Blindsided..." The brunette blinked as the answer came to her. "Bad dreams?" Kira frequently had nightmares; they had been particularly bad before they landed on Orb.

Luna nodded, her smile weakening. "My shooting instructor warned me about this...'it's different than just shooting targets'." She sat at the edge of the bathtub. "You know, I didn't really notice when I was shooting things on the active battlefield. I think it's because of the mobile suits."

"Why's that?"

"Well, you don't see anything when you're shooting mobile suits." Luna said, before pausing. "Well, that's not entirely – let me try again. You don't see the faces and the bodies of the people you kill. There's no blood, gore, screaming.." Her brow furrowed. "Well, there might be screaming if you're leaving your comm on the universal channel, but I can't imagine why you'd do that. It's a huge distraction." She shook her head. "But that's not the point. When you're shooting mobile suits, it doesn't feel intimate...more like you're playing Duck Hunt or something. It wasn't until I saw some footage of the battlefield and dead bodies that it even really registered that, yeah...not a game. I have indeed been shooting people." She laughed a little weakly. "Isn't it kind of messed up that I could forget that in the first place?"

"...No, I don't think so." Mir said, leaning against the tiled wall. "My job is CIC control. I'm even less able to directly see the carnage than you are. It wasn't until I saw my parents again, months after I first ended up in the Archangel, that the weight of everything finally sank in." She closed her eyes. "Maybe it was because I was watching Kira, who was doing most of the fighting. I would forget that the Archangel wasn't just shooting into thin air. We were hitting people." She took a deep breath and released it. "And now I'm the controller of CIC. I don't just point and click, I give the orders that send the war machine into battle to destroy our enemies."

"Heh. At least I was warned. I'm sorry you weren't." Luna took a sip of water and stared into the distance for a minute. "I'm glad my instructor was frank about it. Sometimes they don't bother. Sometimes they build up the glory of saving your people from dead and destruction without mentioning the sadness that comes with even good victories, necessary victories."

Mir's lip twitched. "Or they just say that fighting is the best way to settle things like this. Cow ignorance and cruelty with fear."

"I guess we'll end up seeing how well that works, huh?" Something faintly sad crept into Lunamaria's usually unendingly cheerful expression. "I mean, even if we win, get rid of some of Blue Cosmos's control over the Earth...we can't possibly get everything? Even if...some of them won't change their minds, they've been there for too long to root out without destroying so much...Even if it ends, it won't really 'end', I mean...will it?"

Mir took a deep breath. "I don't know." She had thought of all those things. She had. They were hard to escape on bad nights. That somehow, all of this pain and suffering wouldn't achieve the lofty desires that idealists like Lacus pictured. "All we can do is our best. And its worth remembering that Blue Cosmos may be in power, but they aren't universally loved. I don't think they're even loved by the majority; they had to sneak in and abuse loopholes to get what they have. So what we can do is take care of them, and then trust people to decide to do good in the end."

Luna actually smiled at that. "You're right. Sheesh, listen to me be a downer. You know, I vowed that I was going to be the most cheerful person on my squad full of sad sacks, right?"

Mir smothered a very loud laugh, knowing that the squad of 'sad sacks' included Kira and Athrun. "I imagine they'll come to appreciate that," She managed.

She offered Luna her hand when the other girl finished her drink, allowing her to center herself and regain her sense of balance. They retreated to the couch, talking in hushed voices until they fell asleep on the carpet, with the dying embers of the fire the only noise in the house.

 _ ****~Elsewhere~****_

"Shouldn't you be sleeping, dios?"

Dearka started at his mother's voice, tearing his eyes away from the artificial night sky he'd been contemplating for the past...he wasn't sure how long. Their house had a room with a glass ceiling specifically for 'stargazing'; it was one of his favorite locations as a child. Now that he was a little older, being there helped organize his thoughts. "Wha? I'm not the one who's been working through the day, up to her neck in paperwork." He countered quickly.

His mother raised a single eyebrow before walking and sitting down next to him. "And I'm not the one who needs to be able to shoot straight if deployed tomorrow morning." She responded dryly. "I would have thought you'd be in bed an hour ago."

"I was. Just couldn't stop thinking." Dearka brushed off.

"Thinking." Diana repeated, eyeing him skeptically.

"I do that sometimes," Dearka protested, cursing his mother's ingrained ability to make him feel defensive.

"I know. It's just not like you to dwell." Diana calmly sat down, cross legged, next to him. "Does this have something to do with that girl Haw?"

Dearka gaped at her. Diana's lip curved and she met his eyes firmly until he looked away. "Not just about her." He hedged.

"I see. What's the story with her?"

The blonde cringed. "There's only a limited story! She's...I don't know. I think she considers me a friend? Her boyfriend died in battle, something that was almost an accident. She's brave. That's what I..." he shook his head. "What I always think of when I talk to her. She's really brave."

"Hmm. That's a first." His mother gazed at the ceiling, the sky, the stars. "You've never talked like this before."

"I had to grow out of being shallow eventually," Dearka mumbled, looking away.

He was slightly surprised when his mother chuckled gently, running her fingers through his hair. "I haven't thought you shallow for years, my son. You possessed typical attitudes from where you grew up and what you were surrounded by, and you were always confident and acted tough, but you haven't been truly shallow in a while."

"Mom..."

"It's been a while since we spent some decent time together..." Diana murmured. "I've been neglecting you, haven't I? When was the last meal we spent together?"

"Earlier today?" Dearka suggested, trying to make a joke out of it.

"Heh. True..." Diana smiled slightly. "Well, once things are more in order-"

"In order? In politics?"

"Let me finish," Dearka snickered at his mother's long suffering expression. "When life is relatively in order, I'll be spending more time in this house. I hope that will mean that we can eat together again."

Dearka momentarily remembered the prolonged absence of his parents in his life ever since he was a young boy, and part of him wanted to shoot off some snarky remark, but he squashed it. "Yeah. I hope so."

 **End Chapter**

 _ **The final battle is coming up...**_

 _ **Read and Review please!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**Nicol's Savior**

 _ **Me: Ugh...delayed by the fight scenes again. I think it's because there are only so many ways you can change up SEED's final battle if you've stuck closeish to canon. That and I'm still better at character drama than I am at fight scenes, though I think I MIGHT be improving on that end. This story is nearly complete, with either only the final chapter or a final chapter and an epilogue ahead. Thank you to everyone who's been reading and sticking with me through the long delays!**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam SEED/Destiny.**_

 **Chapter 14: Win or Die**

"Alright boys and girls, it's time to go to work."

Shani Andreas loathed that blonde prick who gave him and the others their orders. Even his borderline sociopathic apathy to the world in general couldn't smother that. He wanted to kill him so very, very badly, but he could never get close enough before someone stopped him. He hated that smile, he hated the voice, he hated how the man withheld their medicine for the slightest imagined infractions, he hated how the man had pitted him against Clotho and Orga. Within the haze of pain and addled senses and the 'recalibration' he was constantly subjected to, that remained a constant.

The funny thing about trying to rob people of their free will was that, no matter what you did, nothing was guaranteed. Sure, you could destroy a person's impulse control with drugs, gaslight them until they put their faith in you out of desperation, subject them to sensory deprivation and dehumanizing training to dislodge their sense of self...but as long as a person was more than just a vegetable, there was always going to be a chance of something trickling in. In Shani's case, he remembered the place that had been his home before he was snatched for the Lodonia project – a church. He remembered staying there, listening to beautiful songs, and – a feeling. Warmth? He didn't have a word for it now, after twelve years of medical torture.

However, he did remember belonging somewhere. He remembered one place where he wasn't tortured, kicked around and treated like a useful object. Therefore, just beneath his apathetic surface was a _boiling_ resentment of everyone unfortunate enough to wear the Atlantic Federation uniform. If he could, Shani would kill them all.

The thought of defection didn't enter his mind – as far as he could tell, trying to 'switch sides' (as best he could comprehend the notion) was a great way to get shot and die. And even if he _didn't_ get shot, he'd just be trading one group of drug wielding overlords for another. (Or at least, so Shani assumed. He'd spent so long assuming everyone he met would kill him he couldn't imagine anything else happening.) So instead, Shani began to plot his escape during this massive 'final push' towards the space hourglasses; wait until the thick of the fighting, blow up his carrier ship, and get the hell out of there while everyone was too busy trying not to die. It was a simple plan, though slightly complicated by...

Her sobbing interrupted his thoughts. Shani tilted his head towards the small blonde girl curled up next to him, leaning on the arm of the couch. She was a 'second generation' to his first, given a different 'treatment'. She hadn't been deployed before now since she was still in 'training'. Yet with all the losses on the Federation's side – including the devastating failure to capture the Orb Union – the blonde bastard had yanked her and the other two who had survived the drugs, stuffed them into experimental gunbarrel Strike Daggers, and sent them out to fight.

Stella. Shani wasn't sure why he felt compelled to bring her along on his escape attempt. Maybe he just wanted to piss off the bastard as much as possible. Maybe he wanted to give the scientists the finger by living long past their 'expectations'. Maybe it was her eyes; he had a fragmented memory of someone else with violet eyes.

The other two wouldn't come with him, he knew. Auel's mother was a hellbitch and one of the scientists; he was physically and mentally incapable of being anything but an instrument of her will. Sting was under the delusion that if he proved himself to the bastard, he would be elevated to greatness. (Shani wasn't sure where he got that impression from, since the bastard called them 'things'. But they all held on to _something_ to survive in Lodonia.) But Stella would come. She was just too afraid to attempt to escape herself.

Shani reached over and ruffled her hair lightly, hoping that conveyed a little confidence. She leaned into his hand just a bit. The gesture was slight enough that the bastard – who was caught up in his all-important monologue – didn't notice it.

Shani couldn't really remember what nukes did, precisely. He just knew that they were really, really bright. "We're on guard duty," He told Stella. "Clotho and Orga are being given the first shot at the White One." None of them knew the names of the opposing mobile suits, so they were dubbed via their color schemes.

Stella looked up at him. "But then how will-?" Shani shook his head, taking her by the arm and floating towards the door. The doctors had come in with the drugs. Wouldn't do to be overheard. Shani swiped three, punched the doctor unconscious, and floated down the hatch towards their mobile suits.

"The White One will keep those two occupied," Shani explained, jerking his head in the direction from where they'd come. Orga and Clotho were having an argument over who got to launch first, holding them and the doctors up. "You're going to stay back while I bait out the Black One." That mobile suit had the dense projectiles that pierced PSA – a dangerous venture, but he was the one most likely to give chase given the Forbidden's light-wave barrier.

Stella whimpered. She was terrified of the three ace gundams, even though she'd only seen them in the briefing. "A monster..."

Shani shrugged slightly as they came to a stop at the door to the hanger. "I'm going to feint and lead him back to this ship," He tapped his foot on the floor. "The 'nukes' should be fired by then, so you're going to swing back. They'll be distracted by me and the Black One. The most important shot's gonna be yours, alright? I'll set you up for it."

Stella gave a tiny nod. Shani grinned slightly. "Great. Remember to turn off the universal channel once you've gotten your 'marching orders'; just key directly to me. Once this thing is cinders, duck into the smoke cloud and abandon your mobile suit. I'll pick you up and cloak, and we'll get the hell out of dodge."

The small blonde stared intently at him as she absorbed this, then looked up at the Forbidden. As a last ditch attempt to empower the mobile suit, mechanics had been brought over to add Mirage Colloid to it for extra utility just before the 'final plunge' into space. Ironically, what was meant to upgrade the combat capacity of the Forbidden was the last puzzle piece of the escape plan.

"Okay." Stella looked up at him, fear in her eyes. "This will work, right?"

"It better," Shani responded grimly. "It's our best shot." He gave her shoulder a final squeeze. "Go to your mobile suit and get ready, okay? I'll be here. We'll get through this." _You're not going to die._ He couldn't say that outright since 'die' was Stella's psychological trigger, but he meant it. It felt weird as hell to say it and mean it, but he did.

Slowly Stella nodded again. Shani gave her a little push, and she floated off in the direction of the blue painted Gunbarrel 105 Strike. Letting out a long sigh that was more of a hiss, he took out one of the drug vials and downed it in a single gulp. He hated this poison. Stealing them had been a nightmare, only succeeding when a new guy had been on guard duty whom he was able to get the drop on. Good thing the feds were too arrogant to think that their tortured weapons were capable of such defiance. Shani shook his head, enough thinking in circles. What was done, was done – he would either succeed, or die. Either way, he would be free of these monsters forever. He pushed off the ground and floated to the Forbidden.

 _ ****~Jachin Due~****_

 _Shani will protect me._ Stella focused on that thought as she floated alongside Sting and Auel, hovering just above an army's worth of mini 'carriers' holding the 'nukes'. _We'll escape and no one will hurt us again._ She clung to the control rods, her knuckles turning white in the process. _Nii-san..._ he said to stay with them until the nukes were launched. Stella wondered why light-makers were so important to the feds that they were being given an armed escort. Maybe they were a really good distraction? Threw off the enemy aim? Did they make people – no no no, bad thought, bad thought. Not here.

Stella looked out her view-port towards the blue hourglasses in the distance. They looked rather pretty in person, in a strange way. Maybe the feds wanted them broken so badly because they were so ugly and monsterous, they hated everything beautiful. She nodded to herself, proud of her cleverness. The feds were the monsters and enemies of all that was good in the world, she was the hypnotized princess forced to do their bidding, and Shani nii-san was the knight kept loyal by a curse. Except he was cursed no longer, he had freed her, and now together they would slay the monsters. Just like in the stories.

She shifted in her seat, cringing when her monitor started beeping frantically. The "enemy" was launching from the hourglasses; many, many, many red dots began to appear, crowding the far end of the map. Stella swallowed; Shani had told her to be careful since they would be fighting harder than ever now that the feds were so close to their home. She glanced over at Sting's unit, which was on her right. She wondered if he would try to escape too, or if he would...bad thought! _Bad thought!_ She hit her head against the back of her seat, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. No, no, no, she had to focus. She had to concentrate. Nii-san needed her in order for the escape plan to work. She had to stay calm. For him.

The little carriers surged forward, and Stella's stomach dropped despite the zero gravity. Twisting the switch that connected her to the Forbidden, Stella shut off the universal channel. "Nii-san..."

" _Just hang in there, Stella. I'm going off to do my job, okay? You do yours."_

"Y-Yes." He was going to bait the Black One. Ah, but what if the Red One or the White One decided to chase him too? Ahh...Stella shook her head. Orga and Clotho wouldn't let them leave without a fight. They liked fighting because it made them feel powerful, instead of abused dogs of the feds. That's why they wouldn't run...

She gunned the engine to keep up with Sting, Auel and the carriers. The fighting had started. Scores of GINN and CGUEs flew towards them, spitting emerald darts and venom into the communication Stella had cut herself off from. Frowning, she activated the gunbarrels; a drop of blood fell from her nose as pressure built up in her skull. The 'artificial enhanced awareness' program was in a similar bin as every feddie experimental treatment – very painful, it only partially worked, and it was more trouble than it was worth. But as long as the feds could throw bodies at it, they would – they were big believers in quantity over quality.

 _Just keep yourself safe and afloat. Nothing else matters._

Stella shot down two GINNs headed her way and crippled a CGUE with her gunbarrels. On her far left, Auel was in a screaming rage; his pain tolerance was always low, and the feedback was bringing out his inner berserker. However, he wasn't good at fighting smart, so Sting was forced to cover him. Trembling slightly, Stella cut her connection to him in order to concentrate. She spun her barrels again and fired at another pair of GINNs, and then suddenly everything was _white_.

Skittering backwards and throwing up a hand to keep from going blind, Stella blinked until her eyes refocused on the battlefield. The hourglasses weren't broken. The White and Red Ones were visible on her data map...they'd arrived.

Stella hoped that blonde monster was having a fit. She hefted the heavy impulse canon in her mobile suit's right hand and took aim...

 **Line Break**

"Keep away from the new Gundams," Nicol told Asagi, intercepting a would-be fatal blast from the Forbidden on his shield. "We'll take care of them. Watch the Archangel!"

"Y-Yes sir!" The Astray leader saluted and peeled back, leaving Nicol to face the scythe wielding enemy alone – Kira and Athrun were preoccupied taking out the nukes. He wouldn't have liked his chances if he'd just had the original Blitz...how could they have designed and constructed these three so quickly? Sure, the Atlantic Federation had manpower to spare, but still...

The Forbidden made the first move, firing its chest mounted canon. Nicol dodged to the right and fired back with the new Trikeros. He caught the foot but not the light emitters; then the mobile suit did something strange. It fell back rather than press the attack, unlike the battle at Orb.

"What's your game?" Nicol wondered, immediately scanning for the other two Federation Gundams. No, they were both fighting Dearka, Mu, and his fellow squadmates. And -? Yeah, that was the Duel. The pianist suppressed a smile. _Good to see you, Yzak._ His eyes slid back to the form of the Forbidden. So it was unlikely the other pilot was trying to lure him into a pincer attack...shaking his head, Nicol decided to take the chance and took off in pursuit. If he could take one of them out while the three were separated, the other two would go down easier.

The _Dominion_ was on the front lines, as benefits a ship with weapons like the Lohengrin. Azreal specrifically wanted to chase down the Archangel and destroy it, which would be a powerful blow to enemy morale. _Odin's Lance_ was nearby, but too preoccupied to assist. However, the former Earth Alliance ship was about to get support from an unlikely place.

"Out of fuel already?" Nicol mused, seeing that the Forbidden was closing in on the _Dominion._ "A little discipline does go a long way..." He prepared his EMP. "Well, let's try out Simmon's work."

A Gunbarrel variant of the Strike Dagger flew in from the side. Nicol was about to push the button when it fired...at the Forbidden! The pianist had a split second to be shocked by this before the Forbidden's Light Wave barriers activated at maximum power. The massive red blast bent around the fields, arced, and flew directly at the _Dominion_.

Azreal's last sight was the entire bridge flooded with blinding red and white light. Then the blast pierced through the bridge and conning tower like the scythe of the Grim Reaper, and exploded, leaving the greatest warship of the EA powerless and dead in the water.

 _That was too coordinated to be anything but deliberate._ Nicol had activated the EMP in the middle of the attack, so he didn't have an opportunity to radio the Forbidden or its counterpart. The blast struck true, hitting the Forbidden, the Gunbarrel Strike, and everything in the surrounding area – leaving Daggers and a ship that had come to assist the Dominion defenseless and at the mercy of the Jachin regular defense forces. Hitting his jets, he floated over to the Forbidden and grabbed it before radioing the nearest CGUE. "Can you grab a hold of that Strike variant?" He asked. "I'd like to take them back to the _Eternal_."

"Yes sir, Lieutenant." The young woman floated over and took the floating MS by the shoulders. "So the pride of the Atlantic Federation was destroyed when they were backstabbed and hit with overwhelming force? Hah! Poetic."

Nicol gave a slight smile at the thought. "I suppose so." He hoped the pilots would be amendable to talking. The commander's unit provided cover fire as they jetted in the direction of the Eternal.

 **Line Break**

Kira saw GENESIS approach before anyone else; he felt a sudden pressure within his mind different from your average headache and found himself drawn to the far left of the battlefield, where Patrick Zala's ZAFT was approaching. And at the head of the forces...Kira's stomach lurched. He'd seen the specs for the _Providence_ Gundam; it was a huge threat, even more so because there could only be one person piloting it.

Miriallia's radio warning saved the bulk of True ZAFT's forces; the Earth Alliance did not pay heed to her words however, and the resulting nuclear sword devastated their army.

The _Providence_ hurtled towards him. Kira grimaced. He wondered if Rau's shortened telemeres had finally driven him to madness, as Durandal had implied when discussing his involvement in the La Flaga projects. Al da Flaga had funded the Ultimate Coordinator Project as part of his plan to have the 'perfect' successor, after all. "Athrun, I'm about to be pre-occupied for a while."

"Be careful," Worry radiated in his fiance's voice. "I...I have to go stop my father."

"I know. Nicol will assist." The Providence was seconds away. "I love you. I love you both." The Freedom gunned to meet it.

 **End Chapter**

 _ **Something that bothers me a little bit re: the Extended is that their treatments and conditions are absolutely horrific, yet**_ **absolutely no one _aside from Shinn and Rey seem to care, or even acknowledge it. Seriously, I can count on one hand the number of fics I've found where the original Extended are regarded remotely sympathetically, and Stella probably only gets spared due to her relationship with Shinn. (shakes head) I thought that all the Extended had more potential than they were allowed to flex within canon, so I gave Shani a belated chance to shine since he's my favorite of the original three. I hope you enjoyed what I did!_**

 ** _Read and Review please!_**


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